Escapee 'felt sorry' for fleeing

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-28  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

AUTHORITIES in Arkansas, the Unites States, say an inmate escaped a county jail and left behind a rose fashioned out of toilet paper because he felt sorry for breaking out.

Luis Camacho-Mendoza was recaptured a day later on Wednesday in a home in the town of Van Buren after police received a tip. Investigator Ken Howard said Camacho-Mendoza was found hiding in a closet in a pile of clothes with a pillowcase over his head.

"But he wasn't hiding too good because you could see the outline of his head in the pillow case," Howard said. "We all grabbed him pretty quick and he didn't seem to be resisting."

Authorities said Camacho-Mendoza was in jail on drug charges and was expected to be deported to Mexico by immigration officials. In his escape, Camacho-Mendoza broke open a lock on a kitchen door using a tool made from two screwdrivers, authorities said. Camacho-Mendoza worked in the kitchen.