Watertown woman arrested after she helped wanted man escape, deputies say

A town of Watertown woman is jailed under $7,500 bail after she helped a wanted man escape from her apartment early Thursday morning, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

Destiney K. Parker, 21, of 22418 Eacho Drive, is charged with obstructing governmental administration. She was placed in the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building following arraignment before Brownville Town Justice Richard M. Parker.

Because of her actions shortly after 1 a.m., deputies said, Daniel L. Hilts, 29, Three Mile Bay, who is wanted on a probation violation warrant, got away and remained at large Thursday morning.

When deputies went to her home looking for Mr. Hilts, they said, Ms. Parker hid him in her upstairs bedroom. She slammed and locked the bedroom door when deputies went to the room and left it locked to give Mr. Hilts, said to be her boyfriend, time to flee, according to the sheriff’s office.

A foot chase developed into a two-hour search by deputies, state troopers and Watertown police.

Mr. Hilts, who was convicted of driving while intoxicated last August in Oswego County, and Ms. Parker were charged with DWI in a related incident Jan. 30 at Mill Street and Main Avenue. After city police halted the vehicle he was driving, he got out and ran. While a foot chase was in progress, police said Ms. Parker began to drive his vehicle away. He is facing several charges, including felony DWI, in that incident, and Ms. Parker was charged with aggravated DWI and obstructing governmental administration.