TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - A Pima County jail inmate whose escape wasn’t detected for about 14 hours has been recaptured in Tucson, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Jose Fernandez, 29, escaped late Tuesday afternoon by breaking through steel mesh covering an exercise yard and his escape wasn’t reported until Wednesday morning, the department said in a statement.
Fernandez was recaptured Wednesday night the department said.
The department said it appeared that inmates in the exercise yard weren’t adequately monitored and that an evening headcount wasn’t conducted appropriately.
That allowed the escape “to go unnoticed for an unacceptable amount of time. We will address these issues as part of a formal review of the incident and take corrective action,” the department said.
Fernandez was in jail while awaiting trial on charges of aggravated assault, auto theft and vandalism, the department said.
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