The escape of a federal prisoner, Leonardo Villareal, has citizens and authorities on alert in Mission, Texas today.

Authorities say that Villareal escaped while being transported to McAllen Memorial Hospital. Villareal overpowered two officers and then ran across the expressway. Once he crossed the expressway, Villareal car-jacked a red Jeep Liberty and took off.

Villareal had been serving a sentence for shooting an undercover agent. According to report, officials have stated that it was only a matter of time before they caught Villareal.