APD Arrests Escaped Criminal

AUSTIN - A homeless man arrested more than 30 times adds two more arrests to his criminal history.  Several officers searched for 33-year-old, Christopher Corter, after he escaped from the back of a police car Tuesday.

Police say right before, Corter had stole a car someone left running at a gas station off William Cannon and Circle S Drive.

He then went to the home of a friend, where neighbors say Corter and his mother were staying.  That's where police found and arrested Corter but he didn't stay in the back of the patrol car for long.

Austin Police Officer, Todd Myers, says "anytime you have a person that's escaped from custody, normally they're pretty desperate. That means that they don't want to be incarcerated so they'll take whatever measures they can to stay out of jail. So, you know always consider somebody dangerous when they're running from the law. That's the way I see it. Especially somebody in handcuffs."

Sgt. Clay Crabb says, "he was able to slip the cuffs underneath his feet and get them in front of him and he was able to reach out through the bars in the back door and unlock the door."

Sgt. Crabb says the officer who left the window rolled down will be talked to.

Corter is facing auto theft and escape charges.  If convicted, he could face up to ten years in prison.