A murder suspect remains on the run after the driver transporting him to jail stopped to buy him McDonald’s.
Authorities say that 22-year-old Leon Taylor managed to escape from a transport van at about 3 p.m. on Monday while at a Gary, Indiana McDonalds. Police say that when the transport driver with REDI Transport pulled over at the restaurant to buy the man food, Taylor asked the driver to roll down his window. Once he did, the driver said that Taylor jumped out of the window and ran. Taylor, who is suspected of shooting and killing 52-year-old Daniel Nitzsche on November 19th in East Chicago, Indiana, was being extradited from Texas after being arrested in Dallas on December 2nd.
Lake County sheriff’s office is questioning how Taylor could pull off such a daring escape while in handcuffs, a leg brace, and a belly chain. They are now examining the driver who was in charge of getting the man to Lake County Jail.
“After watching this video, I am highly disturbed and disappointed by the procedures the private transportation driver used during the transfer of this suspect to our jail,” said Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
Martinez said in a statement that Taylor can be seen on video struggling to free himself from the leg brace. It did not appear that Taylor was wearing shackles.
“We also believe the suspect may have been manipulating his leg brace during the trip and was apparently continuing to disable the device when he exited the SUV,” the sheriff said. The transport driver told law enforcement that Taylor escaped through the window; however, “the video clearly shows him exiting through a door to the vehicle.”
As of Wedneseday, Taylor remained on the run.
