Archived Story

Inmate falls through ceiling during planned escape

Published 12:03am Saturday, September 1, 2012

NATCHEZ — A Natchez City Jail inmate fell through the jail ceiling Thursday night during a failed escape attempt one day after he was arrested, leaving a hole in the ceiling as big as the hole in his escape plan.

Natchez Detective Jerry Ford said a booking officer heard a noise in the jail ceiling shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday and began walking the hallway to track the noise.

Ford said a foot popped out of a ceiling tile, and inmate Jacob C. Simmons, 22, 148 N. Palestine Road, then came crashing down out of the ceiling.

The booking officer, Ford said, apprehended Simmons, who was put back in a cell.

Ford said Simmons was somehow able to chip away at the Sheetrock and bend the steel rods on the ceiling back to climb in the ceiling.

“I have no idea how he did it,” Ford said. “(Simmons) said he did it with his hands, and we searched the cell and did not find any kind of object he could have used.”

Simmons was booked Wednesday on a burglary charge and was charged Thursday with attempted felony escape, Ford said.

No bond has been set for Simmons.

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  • Anonymous

    Put them in tents. Shackle a leg to an anchor in the ground. Give them a pup tent. Feed them baloney thrice daily ’til they pray for the man with some fish and bread loaves. Our Marines are sleeping on the ground tonight and if lucky had some dried junk to eat with hot water.

  • Anonymous

    Obviously he didn’t understand the full “gravity” of his situation…

  • Anonymous

    seriously sheet rock on the walls of cells? why not just put up newspaper or no walls at all?????  What are the police doing? no one makes  rounds or pays attention to whats happening?? this should never happen… they seriously need to step up their game  starting with making some changes  with the walls and either stationing someone back there at all times or at least having them make rounds.

  • Anonymous

    Ha ha ha. I see what you did right thar. I fell for that.

  • Anonymous

    He must have been a good individual trying to turn his life around, seeing all the errors of his ways.  His whole life flashed before him as he fell out of the ceiling.

  • vilou09

    Oh lawdy, lawdy, praise Jesus, he’s seen the light!!

  • Anonymous

    When his head hit the floor and went “Ding Dong”…it wasn’t Avon calling…

  • Anonymous

    He suddenly remembered an overdue library book…and his conscience just HAD to get it back

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    Sound like the Jackson detention center and they best better get get on the ball if a inmate gets out and kills someone it want be pretty and it sounds that they need get some bars in concrete ASAP in the ceiling!!

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