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Watch: Handcuffed suspect kicks out window, escapes from back of moving cruiser

The suspect, who was 6'7'’, was quickly recaptured after he kicked out a back seat window of a Houston County Sheriff’s Office pickup truck and pulled himself out feet first

CROCKETT, Texas — The Houston County Sheriff’s Office released body camera video showing a suspect slip his handcuffs and escape from the back seat of a moving cruiser.

The Sept. 3 incident began when deputies responded to serve an arrest warrant. The subject of the warrant attempted to flee on foot, but was taken into custody.

The suspect, who was 6'7" and 260 lbs, was restrained with two pairs of handcuffs linked together due to his size, the sheriff’s office said.

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In-car camera video from the cruiser transporting the suspect shows him sitting sideways in the back seat as the officer begins to drive. The man was able to move his cuffed hands from his back to the front of his body, freeing up his range of motion.

The man then laid on his back and began to forcefully kick the back window with his feet. At first, the force of the kicks caused the window frame to bow outward.

It took several kicks in a row to break the glass.

The man then grabbed the vehicle’s roof and pulled himself out of the window feet-first. He landed outside the cruiser just as it came to a stop.

A deputy pursuing the suspect, described by the department as “small in stature” but “full of grit,” deployed her TASER, helping to bring the suspect back into custody. He was placed in a different vehicle and successfully transported to jail.

The suspect’s initial warrant was for aggravated assault on a public servant. He now faces additional charges of escape, criminal mischief and evading arrest or detention.

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Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com