Update: Suspect who escaped officers at Fresno jail captured. He was found 3 miles away
UPDATE: Authorities confirmed around 1:30 p.m. that the suspect had been apprehended in the 2400 block of Church Avenue, approximately three miles southeast of the jail.
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Botti said the suspect could face additional charges related to the escape.
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ORIGINAL STORY: A suspect escaped from police custody in downtown Fresno on Thursday while he was being taken to the Fresno County jail, authorities said.
The suspect had been arrested by Clovis police for alleged domestic violence.
Around 11:42 a.m., when the Clovis police vehicle arrived at the jail, the suspect jumped out of the van and ran from the parking lot area.
The Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol all were scouring downtown during the lunch hour for the suspect.
Around 1 p.m. the Clovis Police Department identified the suspect as Jerry Hayes, 29, and described him as “5-foot-6 with blonde hair, with no shirt and gray shorts and may have one handcuff attached to his wrist.”
Clovis police spokesman Ty Wood said officers believed Hayes had been handcuffed behind his back before being taken to jail, per department policy.
“Sometime during transport, he slipped his hands from behind him to in front,” Wood said.
“Due to construction around Fresno County Jail, our transport van had to park outside of the secure salleyport. As our jail transport officer opened the doors to the van, Hayes ran from the area.”
The suspect was last seen in the parking lot of the jail.
Wood said Hayes had been arrested on suspicion of three counts of felony corporal injury to a cohabitant, and one count of probation violation.
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This story was originally published July 21, 2022 at 1:03 PM.
