Man Escapes from Polk County Jail

A man escapes from the Polk County justice center, taking police on a county-wide manhunt. The inmate escaped last night, and less than two hours ago, police found him hiding out less than a mile away from the jail. The jail escape may come as a surprise to many, because the The Polk County Judical Complex just opened six months ago..

Polk County dispatchers confirm that an inmate has escaped from their jail Saturday night. It happened around 9pm after Jacob Charles Roswell overpowered a guard took off through the Justice Center Doors.

He was going through the booking area at the time. Since then, officers have been on foot chases and pursuits across the county.

However the news doesn't sit well with families of others in custody.

"There should have been plenty of officers around. Even in the booking area they shouldn't have the availability to get loose. If they were in the banking area they should have been cuffed," says Julie Riffy who was visiting another inmate.

The justice center is supposed to be an upgrade from this building, which was falling apart.

The county spent 8.8 million dollars to build the facility and raised county taxes to increase security, fill it with secure state of the art equipment and hire more officers. But Roswell, 22, hadn't even gotten through the booking area before he escaped.

"It really shocked me especially seeing the outside of the building must have been....don't know how he escaped but it shouldn't have happened in a new building," says Riffy.

After he ran right through the booking doors, the sherriff's department says they saw Roswell not too far from the station, they chased him, but lost him again. Officers found Roswell less than a mile from the jail, hiding out at a shed behind a family's home. The sheriff's department maintains that this facility is a safe, and secure one.

"We want the citizens to know that the Sherriff's Department and Jail is safe environment and this is not something that happens on a regular basis," says Jail Administrator, Ricky Hale.