Inmate Briefly Escapes in Downtown Utica, Recaptured After Brief Chase
Warning: The below embedded video contains language that may be harmful for some viewers, NSFW - discretion advised.
An inmate wearing a bright orange jumpsuit briefly escaped police custody in downtown Utica on Wednesday afternoon before being recaptured by authorities.
The inmate has been identified as Mitchell Clark of Frankfort and had made an appearance in Utica City Court prior to the incident. The Oneida County Sheriff's Office says after the appearance, Clark ran away from correctional officers as he was being boarded onto the transport van to return back to the Oneida County jail. The man wasn't able to get very far as the Utica City Courthouse is located on Oriskany Street near the Utica Police station and across from the Adirondack Bank Center.
The video below was shot and shared by Facebook user Mike Curran:
However, the Clark was able to yank open a motorists driver-door before law enforcement subdued him and took him back into custody.
Video shot by a motorist who was stopped at the intersection adjacent to the new Wynn hospital in downtown shows the man in a full jumpsuit running past the vehicle with a member of law enforcement in pursuit with a taser in hand.
The incident happened early afternoon on Wednesday.
The sheriff's office released information on social media saying the matter was still under investigation and that more information would be released upon completion of the investigation.