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| Inmates face escape charges |
| By Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune |
| Published: 11/04/2003 |
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Four Marathon County, Wis. Jail inmates face attempted escape charges after corrections officers found tampered panels in two cells for a retreat through the ceiling, investigators say. Corrections officers received information that an inmate might try to escape through the utility hatch. They discovered a missing screw on one of the 2-by-2 panels, which was loose, during a routine daily inspection of two cell block areas, Jail Administrator Bob Dickman said. An investigation by jail staff and detectives from the Sheriff's Department after the Oct. 26 inspection revealed that four inmates were involved in the attempt. In the other cell, officers again found loose screws on a vent and that utility ductwork had been removed in the crawl space above the vent, apparently with tools left behind by construction workers, Dickman said. The inmates also could have used the tools as weapons, he said. The construction of the jail is designed to prevent such escapes and it's unlikely the attempt would have been successful, Dickman said. Screws used in the Marathon County Jail have a specialty head that is uncommon to prevent tampering. Investigators searched the building for the tip used to loosen them and had inmates go through metal detectors, but one was not found. Dickman said he thinks the tip no longer is in the building, although investigators can't be sure. Each inmate already faced serious pending charges and in some cases, decades of confinement if convicted. These inmates have been referred to the district attorney's office on attempted escape charges and are expected to appear in Marathon County court today. Dickman said the jail staff members will conduct unannounced cell inspections and other unpredictable searching methods more frequently in the future to prevent further incidents. |
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