Inmate's Mad Dash For Freedom Locks Down LA Courthouse

LOS ANGELES, CA — An inmate made a headlong rush for freedom Friday from bus bay at the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles, but he never made it past the security booth.

Nevertheless, the desperate bid for freedom triggered a lockdown at the courthouse. The courthouse was on lockdown so deputies could check inmate wristbands and make sure all were accounted for, said Dep. Caroline Rodriguez of SIB.

The man tried to run about 9:15 a.m. from the area where inmates are unloaded and loaded onto buses at the criminal courts building at 210 West Temple St., said Deputy Ryan Rouzan of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

"He ran but he only got as far as the security booth," Rouzan said.

The inmate was arriving for a court appearance when he attempted the escape, she added.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo: Coolcaesar via Wikimedia Commons