Officers from the Madison County Correctional Facility are credited with quick discovery of what was an escape attempt early Sunday afternoon, the sheriff’s office revealed in a press release on Oct. 23.
According to police, Michael A. Hernandez, 44, of Bridgeport, an inmate at the Madison County Jail, attempted to escape from the jail by creating a facsimile of himself on his bunk, disassembling the ceiling of the cell he was assigned to and exiting through it.
He was apprehended by Correction Officers before making it out of his cell, as his legs were dangling overhead.
Hernandez was being held on criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree at the time of his attempt.
Hernandez had been arrested for DWI Drugs earlier in the week of Oct. 16 and was being taken to a rehabilitation facility by a family member when he decided to leave the vehicle. When the family member attempted to call 911, Hernandez came back to the car, choked the family member and took the cell phone that was being used, according to police.
Hernandez then fled and was later apprehended by the New York State Police, arraigned in the Town of Sullivan Court and committed to the Madison County Jail on $300 cash bail, with charges that included criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation – apply pressure, criminal mischief in the fourth degree – prevent emergency call and harassment in the second degree – physical contact.
Hernandez posted bail on these charges on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 21, but was arrested at that time as the credit card used to post bail was reported as stolen. As a result, Sheriff’s Deputies charged him with grand larceny in the fourth degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree – credit card, petit larceny and criminal contempt in the second degree.
Hernandez was arraigned in the City of Oneida Court and remanded to the Madison County Jail on $5000 cash/$10,000 bail bond.
As a result of his actions on Sunday, Hernandez was arrested by sheriff’s investigators and was further charged with attempted escape in the first degree – after felony arrest or conviction and criminal tampering in the third degree.
He was arraigned Monday morning in Oneida City Court and remanded back to the jail on $10,000 cash/$20,000 bail bond. Hernandez will return to court at a later date to face these charges.
Acting Sheriff John Ball stated that at no time was the public in any danger, nor did the facility’s inmate escape siren activate.
“Mr. Hernandez never made it out of the confines of the secure facility, but the evidence that was discovered clearly showed his intentions were not to stay in jail,” Ball said. “The fact that our corrections officers were conducting their rounds and remaining vigilant, as they always do, ensured the safety of not only the facility, but the public as well.”
The county’s facilities maintenance department responded to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the areas determined to be involved in the attempt to ensure no further damage was done to the facility, and to rule out any further breaches in the secure integrity of the building.
