A Jones County inmate sustained critical injuries Thursday afternoon while being transported to the Jones County Detention Center.

Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge said Charles Birch, 33, of Ovett was being transported from Jones County Justice Court to the jail when the incident occurred.

Hodge said Birch is in jail serving time for old fines.

The sheriff said the Jones County man was scheduled to be released from jail on Tuesday.

Hodge said Birch’s wife filed a protection order against him, which resulted in the inmate being taken to Justice Court where “he got served the protection order.”

According to officials, the incident occurred about 3 p.m. at mile marker 91 on Interstate 59 South.

“He was being transported in our transport van when it happened,” the sheriff said. “He was handcuffed and was belly chained and everything. He was also put in a seatbelt too.

“How he got out of it, I don’t know,” Hodge added. “Somehow he got the door of the van open and he took a nose dive out of the vehicle while it was going about 60 miles per hour on the interstate.”

The sheriff said Birch reportedly told the correctional officer in the van with him that “it’s not worth living. Then he was out of the vehicle and landed on the side of the interstate. ... She was almost at the exit for the jail.”

Birch was taken from the scene by EmServ Ambulance Service and transported to South Central Regional Medical Center for treatment.

“He is at South Central with serious injuries,” Hodge said Thursday evening. “He is in critical condition. Right now, that’s all we know.”

Hodge said the incident remains under investigation. No other details concerning the inmate’s condition were available at press time.