Lysbeth
10-12-2003, 11:11 PM
On way to jail, man just walks out again
October 8, 2003
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - A man on his way into jail on suspicion of battering his girlfriend walked right back out again by posing as another inmate waiting to be released.
It bought him another full day of freedom.
Fabian Villalobos, 24, was being held in a booking room at the Washington County Jail Sunday night. But when a jailer called out the name of Juan Camacho Vasquez, 22, to be released, Villalobos answered.
Villalobos signed a jail release form and walked out the gates, along with Vasquez's identification and $239, officials said. Vasquez was waiting to be released on charges of driving with a suspended license and violating the implied-consent law.
Villalobos was picked up Monday night by Springdale police and returned to the custody of Washington County. In addition to his original charge of third-degree domestic battery, he now faces a felony charge of escape and theft of property.
The mistake was discovered when Vasquez's bail bondsman, Fernando Macias, was waiting outside and saw Villalobos exit and sprint down the street.
Macias waited another half-hour for Vasquez to come out before going inside to check on him, thus alerting jail officials to the mistake.
"This was human error," said sheriff's department spokesman Jak Kimball.
The jailer who originally booked Vasquez and could have recognized him had already left work at the 10 p.m. shift change, Kimball said.
October 8, 2003
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - A man on his way into jail on suspicion of battering his girlfriend walked right back out again by posing as another inmate waiting to be released.
It bought him another full day of freedom.
Fabian Villalobos, 24, was being held in a booking room at the Washington County Jail Sunday night. But when a jailer called out the name of Juan Camacho Vasquez, 22, to be released, Villalobos answered.
Villalobos signed a jail release form and walked out the gates, along with Vasquez's identification and $239, officials said. Vasquez was waiting to be released on charges of driving with a suspended license and violating the implied-consent law.
Villalobos was picked up Monday night by Springdale police and returned to the custody of Washington County. In addition to his original charge of third-degree domestic battery, he now faces a felony charge of escape and theft of property.
The mistake was discovered when Vasquez's bail bondsman, Fernando Macias, was waiting outside and saw Villalobos exit and sprint down the street.
Macias waited another half-hour for Vasquez to come out before going inside to check on him, thus alerting jail officials to the mistake.
"This was human error," said sheriff's department spokesman Jak Kimball.
The jailer who originally booked Vasquez and could have recognized him had already left work at the 10 p.m. shift change, Kimball said.