Published: June 26, 2008 10:35 pm            

Trustee escapes NCSO work detail

Jumps into waiting car; police nab possible accomplice

A county jail inmate working as a trustee escaped from a work crew and remained at large at press time.

Chief Deputy Mike Cox of the Navarro County Sheriff’s Office said Gabriel Jaimes-Rios, 28, was with the work crew in the 200 block of East First Avenue at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday. As a car drove up, he left the crew and jumped into the car, which fled the scene.

“We have a suspect in custody that we believe was the driver of the car and are hoping to develop more information,” Cox said. That suspect’s name was being withheld at press time pending the formal approval of an arrest warrant and his arraignment on charges associated with the escape, he added.

Jaimes-Rios was being held in the county jail on a revocation of probation charge in connection with an earlier conviction for burglary of a habitation.

He is described as a Hispanic male, 5-foot, 9-inches tall, and 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

“Mr. Jaimes-Rios will now have felony escape added to his charges,” Cox said. “And anyone assisting him can be charged with harboring a fugitive or assisting in a felony escape.

“Anyone with any information as to the whereabouts of Mr. Jaimes-Rios can call the sheriff’s office at (904) 654-3001 or they can contact Crime Stoppers.”

Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000 for any information that leads to an arrest and grand jury indictment in this crime or any other felony crime. Any one with information should call Crime Stoppers at 874-TIPS (8477).

You do not have to give your name.

Thursday’s escape was the second from the custody of the sheriff’s office this year. On May 23, 21-year-old Tony Leon Caldwell walked out of the county jail after it was mistakenly believed he was scheduled to be released.

Caldwell was captured six days later.

There have been five other escapes from county custody since the middle of 2000.

In July 2000, Y.C. Spears of Dawson and Shawn Montgomery escaped from the jail by cutting through a wire mesh dome on the top of the jail. They were captured in Ellis County a few days later.

In December 2000, a man was released after returning from a hearing at the courthouse when deputies thought he had been given probation. Instead he had been given prison time. The man, Jermane Mullins, turned himself in early January, about two weeks later.

In May 2001, Timothy Collums walked out of the Justice Center after his wife came for a visit and the master control operator punched the wrong button for the wrong door, allowing Collums to escape the facility.

In February 2003, Eric Gachucha Andika posed as another inmate who was set to be released, part of a plot to gain his freedom. Two co-conspirators were arrested for facilitating the escape. Andika was later captured in Atlanta, Ga. and returned to Texas. He stood trial in August 2004 and — because of previous felony convictions making the penalty more severe — was sentenced to 45 years in prison.

In May 2005, José Rodriguez Mendoza, 28, of Dallas walked off his trustees job at the county farm operated by inmates and run by the sheriff’s department. He remained free for about a half-day before he was captured.

—————

Loyd Cook may be reached via e-mail at lcook@corsicanadailysun.com

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.