Jail Escapee Holds SWAT Team at Bay
A convicted burglar who escaped from Orange County Jail held a special weapons team at bay for nearly five hours before surrendering Thursday.
Darryl Mason, 21, of San Clemente was taken into custody without incident about 6:25 p.m., nearly five hours after a sheriff’s SWAT team surrounded a house he was suspected of hiding in.
Mason was convicted of burglary and sentenced to 18 months in jail. He served only four months of the sentence before walking away from Orange County’s Musick minimum-security jail Wednesday morning.
On Thursday, Orange County sheriff’s detectives staked out Mason’s friend’s home, hoping to catch sight of the escapee.
About 1:30 p.m., detectives saw Mason and another man get out of a taxi and go into the residence.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s SWAT team tried to contact Mason by phone and by public address system. Mason’s companion eventually walked out of the house.
SWAT members used a flash-bang grenade to distract Mason so they could get inside the home. Deputies then took him into custody without incident.
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