Texas inmate busts transport van window, escapes and breaks into 2 houses while handcuffed

(Texas News Radio) — A Texas inmate was caught on video escaping from a prisoner transport van in Tyler Tuesday afternoon.

KYTX-TV reported a Smith County Sheriff’s Office detention officer was transporting Timothy Chappelle, of Killeen, between jail facilities when the inmate kicked out a passenger window of the van and broke the barricade.

Chappelle — while handcuffed — got out of the van through the window, ran on foot, jumped a fence and broke into two homes.

He was eventually recaptured about a couple blocks away from where he had escaped.  No injuries were reported in the burglaries.

Chappelle had originally been arrested on December 26th in Lindale on a criminal mischief charge.  He now faces additional charges of escaping custody and two counts of burglary.