Captured: Inmate apprehended after he escapes Capitol State Forest work crew
UPDATE: Authorities captured escaped inmate Javier Lopez-Esteves “safely and without incident” at 5:14 p.m. Tuesday, the Department of Corrections said. He was still in the Capitol State Forest when apprehended. He will be taken to the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton for questioning.
ORIGINAL STORY: A Cedar Creek Corrections Center inmate who escaped from a Capitol State Forest work crew Tuesday morning was still at large late Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections said.
Inmate recovery teams planned to continue their search Tuesday night, said spokeswoman Angie Fitch.
The inmate escaped about 10 a.m. Tuesday. Cedar Creek, based in Littlerock, notified local and state law enforcement, in addition to activating inmate recovery teams.
The inmate, Javier Lopez-Esteves, 28, began serving a 45-month sentence in July after he was convicted of firearm and drug charges in Thurston County. His expected release date had been tentatively set for April 2019.
Those who see Lopez-Esteves are asked not to approach him but to call Cedar Creek at 360-359-4121 or call 911.
Cedar Creek houses about 480 minimum-security male inmates.
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403, @rolf_boone
This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Captured: Inmate apprehended after he escapes Capitol State Forest work crew."