San Antonio was the scene of an extensive manhunt yesterday when 27-year-old Pedro Andres Escamilla made a brazen escape from custody at the Bexar County Courthouse. Escamilla, who was facing a Class B misdemeanor criminal trespass charge, took off before his hearing, setting off a search that lasted hours before he was recaptured. According to LMTonline, the escapee was finally located by deputies near I-35 and Camron Street shortly before 9:30 p.m. on the same day of his scheduled arraignment.
Reportedly dressed in khaki pants and a khaki shirt at the time of his escape, Escamilla was last seen sprinting southbound along the River Walk. FOX San Antonio reported that during the search, authorities found his abandoned pants in a porta-potty, indicating that the escapee might have changed his attire in an attempt to evade capture. Escamilla, identified as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds, was initially believed by deputies to have possibly removed his shirt while on the run.
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office was alerting residents and actively searching for clues following the escape. Pedestrians who spotted someone fitting Escamilla's description were urged to call the authorities. The number provided for any tips was (210) 335-6000. Following his re-arrest, the sheriff's office announced that Escamilla will now also be facing an additional charge of escape, which could extend his legal troubles beyond the initial trespassing accusation.
Prior to his court date, Escamilla had managed to post bail after the initial trespassing charge was brought against him on May 24, with bond set at $800. According to LMTonline, after posting bail a few days later on May 27, the June 25 arraignment was set to be his first court appearance in Bexar County since his arrest. The Sheriff's Office has yet to disclose what might have prompted Escamilla's decision to flee the courthouse.
