A Natchez man’s escape from Natchez police early Saturday morning was short-lived, according to Police Chief Willie Huff.

Lampkin Lyles Jr., 41, of 15 Spring St., Apartment 7, was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and felonious escape. No bond was set as of late Saturday afternoon.

At about 2:30 a.m., police officers were on patrol when they noticed at apparent drug transaction taking place on Spring Street near Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

Two of the men fled on foot, but officers caught Lyles, who dropped a bag containing two rocks of what was believed to be crack cocaine. Lyles was handcuffed and placed in the patrol car.

When the officer who handcuffed Lyles went to investigate a disturbance 100 feet away, someone opened the back door of the patrol car and Lyles escaped, Huff said.

But officers spotted Lyles about two or three minutes later.

He was still on Spring Street and was still handcuffed, Huff said.