Search For Escaped Inmate

Florida Mississippi Police came up empty in their search for a convicted felon who escaped during a bathroom break in the Florida panhandle.

by Jamie Burch

Published: Thu, November 20, 2008 - 10:32 am CST Last Updated: Thu, November 20, 2008 - 3:18 pm CST

1:30 p.m.
- Deputies have called off their seach for today saying they have exhausted all their efforts.

10:32 a.m.
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is using helicopters and K-9's to track down a convicted felon who escaped during a bathroom break in the Florida panhandle.

43-year-old James Sisoutham is serving time for aggravated assault. A private transfer company picked Sisoutham up in Jackson, Mississippi to take him to a prison in California. The van had to make another pickup in Tallahassee before heading west.

When the van stopped in Beulah for a bathroom break around 4:00 a.m., deputies say Sisoutham managed to remove his shackles and handcuffs and ran into the woods.

Deputies are currently focusing on the area around Wildelake Drive.

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jaimlyn711 Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 9:01 am

I want to know why they called off the search after a few hours! Thats ridiculous! We pay those people to protect us. He was convicted of assault. People are crazy now days. We have one guy that was only in trouble for worthless checks now maybe guilty of rape and murder. But they exhaust all their efforts on someone who has been known to hurt people. So he can probably go out and hurt someoneelse. Please!

DEW26M Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 6:48 am

Something fishy going on here. I’m sorry, but you can’t just remove shackles and handcuffs without some assistance or a key or pick. I’d be looking closely into the guards that were supposed to be watching over these convicts.

Sirk Says:

Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 6:00 pm

He “managed to remove his shackles and handcuffs”. Ain’t that amazing. Maybe next time they will just put diapers on the prisoners and take no bathroom breaks.

jaimlyn711 Says:

Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 5:21 pm

Oh thats nice! Now we have another criminal on the loose! I’m glad I don’t live in Florida!