Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said at a Friday news conference that Ricardo Medina-Rodriguez, 27, of Ben Wheeler, escaped on foot at about 4:55 p.m. Thursday from the West Tyler Dialysis Center after a treatment session. He had been charged with sexual assault of a child and online solicitation of a minor. Smith said the inmate is back in custody after a 12-hour pursuit, which ended with the resignation of a veteran deputy.
Smith said the deputy in charge did not keep constant visual contact with the inmate. He said the deputy's first report said the inmate had slipped out of his handcuffs. Smith said it was later confirmed that Medina-Rodriguez was not wearing handcuffs when he escaped, which he said violated standard protocol for a high-escape-risk inmate. Chief Deputy Gary Pinkerton said the inmate was wearing leg shackles.
Smith said a multi-agency search followed. Agencies named included the Sheriff's Office, Tyler Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Smith County Deputy Precinct 3 and 5 Constables, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Units set up a perimeter and used drones and K9 teams.