Texas deputy fired after inmate climbs out of window and rides on top of patrol car
A West Texas sheriff’s deputy was fired after a video surfaced showing him driving on the highway with an inmate sitting on top of the patrol car. The deputy had been transporting 31-year-old Martin Gregory Estrada when the inmate managed to break the window of the patrol car and climbed on top of the car. The deputy carried on this way and did not stop his vehicle until backup officers arrived at the scene. A Taylor County Sheriff’s Office spokesman stated that the deputy was terminated because he violated office policies on inmate safety and security. The incident took place when Martin was being taken about 150 miles from a hospital facility in Wichita Falls to Abilene.
The video was filmed on July 18 by Jennifer and Jason Mustain, who was driving behind the vehicle. "At first, he was laying across the top of the roof like you see in the movies," Jason said. "Then he tried to stand up and eventually sat there chilling." Jason added that the inmate took nearly 10 minutes to climb out of the vehicle and climb the roof of the car. The incident definitely comes as a surprise as no incident such as this has been reported before.
The footage also shows Martin slowly getting off the roof before throwing himself down a hill and trying to escape. As reported by Daily Mail, Taylor County Sheriff's Office tried to explain the situation as they noted, "because the Taylor County deputy's car window was broken out, Wichita County Sheriff's Office administrators offered to have the prisoner transported by them on to the Taylor County Jail."
He was returned to Abilene by Wichita County S.O. without further incident," the department further noted. It is reported that the officer had come to pick up Martin from the Red River mental health and addiction facility in Wichita Falls and return him to Taylor County.
Martin is wanted for "insufficient bond" on charges which include "evading arrest, aggravated robbery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver," as reported by the tabloid. Police allege that when the police officer arrived to pick up Martin, he was informed that the inmate had tried to harm another patient at the facility.
The officer "was told the prisoner had assaulted and hospitalized another person and was being discharged for safety reasons." The statement further noted that "the deputy and three other staff members were needed to secure handcuffs and leg irons on the prisoner." As per the records of Taylor County jail, Martin was being held for escape, evading arrest, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and drug possession charges.