HOUSTON — We're learning new details about how a Harris County inmate escaped Thursday afternoon while being transferred through the jail's tunnel system after a court appearance.
Nigel Thomas Sanders, 35, was captured after a 12-hour manhunt that led to the closure of downtown streets and a lockdown at UH-Downtown. He was arrested at 3 a.m. in the Cloverleaf area of east Harris County.
When Sanders was found at his mother's home by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force, he resisted arrest so they Tased him, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said at a news conference.
How Harris County Jail inmate Nigel Thomas Sanders escaped
According to court documents, Sanders escaped from the tunnels used to transfer inmates from the jail on Franklin Street to the courthouse for hearings and back.
Dozens of inmates are typically transferred at the same time but the exits are secured, according to HCSO.
“Estamos pensando en la parte donde la parte donde no estaba esposado fue donde se pudo escapar y salir de la corte,” said Harris County Sheriff’s Office Major Saul Suarez said early Friday morning.
The sheriff's office said they believe he was in an area where he was not handcuffed.
A deputy watching surveillance cameras said he saw an inmate in a jail uniform and black hoodie leaving through an unsecured door in a separate area.
"This behavior was extremely unusual and alarming because it indicated that an inmate had escaped from the jail," the deputy said in the charging document.
The jail immediately went into lockdown mode. A headcount using barcodes on bracelets determined it was Sanders who had escaped.
The deputy who noticed the inmate leave began searching for a breach. He found a hole in a ceiling on the secure side of the tunnels. HCSO said Sanders climbed through the hole and crawled through the ceiling to the unsecured side on his way back from court. The deputy followed the path and found orange slippers and other clothing left behind by the escapee.
HCSO: Woman carjacked at knifepoint by escapee fought back
Investigators said an administrative assistant with the Harris County District Attorney's Office saw Sanders trying to enter several vehicles. She told investigators that he then climbed into her unlocked vehicle, threatened her with a knife and told her, "Get the [expletive] out of the car or I will, I'll do it.
According to court documents, she grabbed his hand that was holding the knife and during a struggle, she crashed into three parked vehicles.
The woman jumped out and ran away. She flagged down two deputies but when they found her vehicle, Sanders was gone. They discovered the knife he used nearby, according to court documents.
HCSO investigators determined that Sanders found the pocket knife and a black hoodie in a courthouse employee breakroom on his way out.
Law enforcement agencies used crime scene tape to block off multiple streets while they searched for Sanders and UH-Downtown went on lockdown.
Inmate's mother, sister charged with helping him escape
The sheriff’s office said they received tips, leading investigators to multiple addresses, including his mother's home where he was found.
Two relatives were arrested and accused of helping Sanders hide from authorities. They were later identified as his mother, 53-year-old Kathryn Gomez Sanders, and his sister, 27-year-old Zana Tyler, the sheriff's office said.
Both women are charged with hindering the apprehension of the escapee.
Sanders now facing more serious charges
Now that Sanders is in custody, he’s facing two more charges including aggravated robbery, in connection with the carjacking.
He’s also being charged with escape.
According to court records, Sanders was already facing three burglary charges and an unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon charge.
After he was hit with a Taser, the inmate was taken to an area hospital to be checked out before being returned to the Harris County Jail.
Harris County District Attorney releases statement
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg released this statement Thursday about the employee who was caught in the middle of the situation:
"Earlier today, one of our employees was held against her will by a man with a knife who apparently escaped from official custody. We are thankful and grateful that she was not physically harmed during this incident.
"The general public should be on heightened alert that this man has yet to be apprehended, but we are confident that law enforcement will be able to find and apprehend the suspect.
"Once he is arrested, we expect to prosecute this defendant and seek justice in this case."