A violent felon, who was in Lorain Police custody and escaped from a moving police cruiser, has been captured in Lakewood.
Police said the inmate, 27-year-old Alan Thomas Wharton, kicked out a window in a moving Lorain police cruiser on Interstate 90 near W. 117th Street as he was being transported from the MetroHealth Medical Center to the Lorain City Jail.
Police said he was able to get his handcuffs to the front of his body, then use his legs to kick out a side window, before making a run for it.
The incident happened shortly after 3:00 p.m. Wharton was captured a few hours later in Lakewood, after police said he turned himself in to a U.S. Marshall, all while wearing the same handcuffs in which he escaped.
He was originally arrested by Parma Police on a felony warrant out of Lorain for burglary and domestic violence and was handed over to Lorain police at the MetroHealth Medical Center.
Court records show Wharton has a lengthy criminal history, including prison time for domestic violence, drug trafficking and vandalism. There's no word on when Wharton will make a court appearance for Wednesday's additional charges of vandalism and escape.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Police originally reported that the escape happened at 3180 W. 116th Street.
