The Ohio State Highway Patrol issued a statement today about how convicted rapist, 47-year-old James D. Myers, escaped from the Mansfield Correctional Institution (ManCI) last Wednesday. Myers was found missing at the 9 p.m. inmate check.
Lieutenant Anne Ralston, the Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesperson explained, “Inmate Myers was assigned to a maintenance detail working as a carpenter on July 3. The detail went into the evening hours and wrapped up at about 8:20 p.m. It was discovered at the 9 p.m. head count, that inmate Myers was missing. After the detail ended for the evening, Patrol investigators believe that Myers hid in the maintenance area, gained access into the locked maintenance building and obtained three ladders. He then used the ladders to get out of a fenced area attached to the maintenance building. From that fenced area, he went to the two outer perimeter fences and used the ladders to scale both fences and escape the facility.”
Lt. Ralston further explained, “The maintenance area where he is believed to have been hiding and then escaped from is on the southwest side of the facility– he went over the perimeter fences in that general vicinity as well. There were perimeter cars patrolling the facility and the fence alarm did go off. DRC staff responded to the fence alarm and found the ladders. OSP was notified by DRC at 9:54 p.m.”
Myers was captured Thursday evening by a customer at the Olivesburg General Store, which is nine miles north of ManCI. Law enforcement was notified and Myers was returned to prison.
According to Lt. Ralston, the Ohio State Highway Patrol interviewed Myers at the facility after he was captured on the evening of July 4. Myers had minor scrapes on his hands upon his return to the facility and did not claim any injury to Patrol personnel. There is no known criminal activity to have occurred while Myers was outside of the facility. Prior to his apprehension, Myers was in possession of an amount of change. Patrol investigators are attempting to determine where and how he got the money.
“The Patrol continues to conduct a complete and thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened and how. Once the investigation is complete, the Patrol will present the case to the Richland County prosecutor for charges,” she said.
