Escape attempt hits dead end

A Curry County Juvenile Detention Center inmate learned the hard way: A life of crime can lead to a dead end.

A 17-year-old male tried to escape from his holding cell Thursday afternoon by standing on a chair and crawling into a 1-foot-square vent, Assistant District Attorney Fred Van Soelen said. The problem was, the vent was a dead end, maintenance workers told Van Soelen.

The juvenile, who was taken into custody earlier in the day for a parole violation, was recaptured inside the detention center within 30 minutes, Van Soelen said.

Officials said they could not release the inmate’s name because he was a minor.

Around 4:30 p.m., Curry County Sheriff’s deputies circled the detention facility as courthouse employees were leaving the building for the day. Rifle-toting officers walked above the building while an officer led a large German Shepherd into and out of the facility on a leash.

By 5 p.m., police had the young man back in custody, but he was “very dirty” Van Soelen said.

The juvenile offender was scheduled to appear today in front of a judge before his escape attempt.

The juvenile may now also face charges for attempting to escape from jail, carrying a two-year sentence, Van Soelen said.

“He’ll probably be put in solitary confinement,” Van Soelen said.