Cops: Inmates escape from van stopped at hospital

WEATHERFORD, Okla. (AP) — An assistant police chief says eight prisoners who escaped in western Oklahoma did so by kicking out a partition in their transport van and driving off after their guards left the keys in the ignition.

The guards stopped in Weatherford on Tuesday after at least one of the inmates fell ill. While the guards were in a hospital, the remaining inmates drove away, triggering a search by dogs and a helicopter. Six inmates were recovered quickly. Two remain at large.

Assistant Police Chief Louis Flowers said two prisoners kicked out a partition and reached the front of the van.

Flowers said officers are conducting a door-to-door search. One inmate is wearing a camouflage shirt and the other has a T-shirt with a teddy bear on it.

Via Yahoo News!