Authorities say a man who was being held in the Hall of Justice escaped from custody, and is now on the loose. It happened around 10:45 Tuesday morning.
Major Chris Hancock with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department says, "We have incidents occur at the Hall of Justice. But, very rarely do we have an escape out of a courtroom holdover."
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department says Bell was in a graffiti filled juvenile detention area, when he suddenly escaped.
Hancock says, "The mesh is just spot welded in areas. It looks like it's been pushed up, had to use some force to push up through the mesh to get to the rafters."
He was in the cell alone and about five to ten minutes after deputies checked on him he was gone.
He came out into the Prosecutor's office, pushing through the ceiling tile. He then walked out of the building.
Hancock says, "He probably exited the stairwell and went out the 7th Street entrance."
The Sheriff's Department did a sweep of the Hall of Justice, just in case he was hiding, but there was no sign of Bell.
The Sheriff's Department says he was in the holding area waiting to face a judge on old juvenile charges and he also has outstanding warrants. Now, the area will remain empty until the ceiling gets fixed.
Bell was arrested yesterday on drug charges. He was wearing a blue shirt and jeans when he escaped.
The Sheriff's Department had thought he was with his girlfriend. They found her, but Bell wasn't with her. They're now questioning her on his whereabouts.