Jacksonville inmate faces felony charge after brief jail escape

An inmate of the Jacksonville City Jail escaped and lead officers on a short foot chase Thursday afternoon.

37 year old James Wesley Hagood, of Jacksonville was cleaning the jail when a supervisor turned his back on him for just a moment. The inmate ran away from the police department  jail building, just off the city square, and toward a residential area before he was stopped on Church Avenue

Five officers ran after Hagood, who subsequently ran into the upstairs area of an accounting office on Church Avenue SE. Employees pointed out to officers where he was hiding.

Hagood was in jail for failing to appear in court, on a marijuana charge and for obstructing government operations, all misdemeanors. Hagood will now be charged with a felony charge of escape.

Chief Tommy Thompson said the officer who chased him down will face minor disciplinary action for allowing the inmate to get away. The chief, who said the officer has been with the department for several years, also cited the building design as a contributing factor in the incident.