Vulnerabilities in ceiling, gate aid inmate’s escape

Inmate Daniel Skelton escaped prison by climbing through a hole in the ceiling in a shower area, kicking some loose boards to reach the roof and then exiting through an open gate, said state Public Safety Director Ted Sakai.

"My assessment is that this escape should not have happened," Sakai said in a news conference Friday to announce the preliminary findings of the 23-year-old’s June 15 escape from the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

"Once he got off the roof, he had virtually free rein," Sakai said. "He pretty much walked out."

Several factors contributed to Skelton’s escape, including structural problems and potential staff misconduct.

Skelton was being held in Annex 1, awaiting trial for a burglary charge, when he escaped.

The perimeter around Annex 1 was not strong enough and a gate was left open near the annex, both aiding his escape.

Sometime between 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. June 15, Skelton made his way into a hole in the shower ceiling, which Sakai described as some sort of passageway the maintenance staff uses to clean the air ducts. While in the ceiling, Skelton kicked some loose boards and managed to get onto the roof.

Sakai said Skelton jumped to the ground from the roof — a drop of about 8 feet — and then walked around the back of the annex. Skelton proceeded through the unlocked gate and walked along a fence line along Kamehameha Highway before exiting the facility grounds. The staff view of the fence line was obscured by parked vehicles and darkness.

Original reports said Skelton was present at two headcounts at 1:30 and 3:30 a.m. June 16. After further review, it was determined that he was last seen at 10 p.m. the night before.

Law enforcement launched a manhunt and arrested Skelton in the Punchbowl area in the afternoon hours of June 18 after a resident spotted him.

Several improvements have been made at the prison since the escape, Sakai said. Prison officials tightened policies to now require that all gates be locked at all times. The annex’s roof and ceiling in the shower have been reinforced with plywood. Additional razor wire has been added to the perimeter fence and another gate was installed.

More lights were also installed around the buildings. Sakai said officials are looking into adding extra lights along the fence line.

The annex Skelton was held in was originally built for inmates who qualified for work release. In 2013, Sakai said, the structure was converted to house medium-security inmates to address overcrowding at OCCC. A lot of fences and gates were erected at that time.

"Unfortunately, when we did these retrofits to Annex 1, we failed to consider the ceiling and the roof may have been vulnerable," Sakai said.

Before Skelton’s escape, the department was looking into security upgrades that included sensors and cameras around the fence line of OCCC and other facilities. Upgrades were estimated at $200,000, but Sakai said the department lacked funds to cover the costs.

The department plans to request funding from the state Legislature next year for the security improvements.

Due to an overcrowding problem at the prison, Sakai noted a new correctional facility is needed. Describing OCCC as an outdated facility, he said it was poorly designed from the start.

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