CHARGED: Jesus Arroyo, in connection with Monday’s escape in Racine County



RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- 36-year-old Jesus Arroyo -- the man who escaped from custody and launched a massive manhunt earlier this week, has now been officially charged in connection with the escape.

Arroyo was in court on Wednesday, June 4th -- and so was his family.

Arroyo faces three charges -- two felonies and a misdemeanor.

Charges against Arroyo include: one count of felony escape (repeater), one count of obstructing an officer -- causing a soft tissue injury (repeater) and obstructing an officer (repeater).

According to the criminal complaint against him, Arroyo has a history of convictions dating back to 1998.

He was convicted of felony escape in Kenosha in 2011.

On Monday, June 2nd, Arroyo was being transported by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections from one correctional facility to another.

He was being taken from the Milwaukee House of Correction to the Racine County Jail on a probation hold.

The DOC sergeant pulled up to the Racine County Jail, and the sally port door was already open -- so he drove in. The complaint against Arroyo says the DOC sergeant reported the garage was full of vehicles -- but there was no one around.

The complaint says the DOC sergeant got out of the van, and walked to grab paperwork and Arroyo's property bag. Then, the DOC sergeant opened the back door where Arroyo was, and ordered Arroyo to step out of the vehicle.

The complaint says Arroyo was wearing belly chains and handcuffs.

According to the complaint, Arroyo scooted out of the van and ran forward and around the van. The DOC sergeant had to chase Arroyo as he ran out the sally port door and turned south on Wisconsin Avenue.

The complaint says the DOC sergeant told officials that by the time he got to the entrance of the sally port -- he could no longer see where Arroyo was.

Arroyo had escaped.

The complaint against Arroyo says he was in the custody of a probation agent from the DOC at the time of his escape -- and had been previously convicted of several felonies.

Arroyo's escape launched a massive manhunt that led to the lockdown of schools -- and air and ground searches that lasted nearly 12 hours.

Shortly before midnight on June 2nd, the complaint says a Racine police officer responded to the 200 block of Harrison Street in reference to a report of an escaped prisoner.

There, a perimeter was set up, and police learned Arroyo may have left from the rear of a residence on Harrison Street.

The complaint says as an officer looked down the 200 block of Jones Avenue, he observed Arroyo running -- and a foot pursuit began.

The complaint says Arroyo ran into the backyard of a home, jumped a wooden fence and continued from Jones Avenue towards Howland Avenue.

A second officer was in the vicinity of Howland Avenue after hearing a call over the radio that Arroyo was running towards Howland.

The complaint says an officer heard a resident yell "There he go!"

The complaint says the officer pursued Arroyo in his squad -- and as he got closer, noticed Arroyo was wearing belly chains and handcuffs.

The officer got out of his squad car and pursued Arroyo on foot.

The complaint says the officer identified himself as the police -- and ordered Arroyo to stop several times.

The complaint says Arroyo ran through a hole in a fence and into the woods to the south of Howland Avenue.

The complaint says the officer continued to pursue Arroyo -- and he stumbled to the ground -- scraping his right knee.

The officer was then forced to draw his taser -- fearing that he would lose sight of Arroyo. The complaint says the officer gave Arroyo three warnings before deploying the taser.

The complaint says the taser probe struck Arroyo in the left side while he was attempting to climb over a retaining wall.

Arroyo fell to the ground, and apparently stated "I ain't going nowhere. That hurt" -- according to the complaint.

An investigator spoke with Arroyo on June 3rd -- and he said he ran from custody because he was scared he was going to be revoked and sent back to prison.

Arroyo told the investigator he hid near a bridge until it got dark -- and then went to his cousin's -- looking for shoes and the use of a phone.

A short time later, officers arrived -- and Arroyo was later taken into custody.

As Arroyo made his court appearance on Wednesday -- appearing via video conference, his grandparents sat in court, with their pastor.

"I know he made the mistake of running away. I know that," Arroyo's grandparents said.

Arroyo's grandparents say they understand their grandson has made mistakes in the past, but that doesn't keep them from loving a member of their family.

They say they are praying for him.

Arroyo had cash bond set at $100,000.

The three charges he faces carry a maximum combined sentence of 22 years.

The DOC tells FOX6 it is looking into how Arroyo was able to escape.

FOX6 News had previously reported Arroyo was arrested and held in connection with a case out of Milwaukee involving stolen cars, armed robberies -- and possibly murder.

On Tuesday, June 3rd, it was announced that case against Arroyo has been dismissed.

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