Charges and bond announced in reported escape/chase/break-in incident

TYLER – A Smith County Jail inmate faces three new charges after a reported escape, chase, and break-in incident. According to our news partner KETK, Timothy Chappelle, 41, was charged with escape while arrested/confined felony and two counts of burglary of habitation. The man was initially booked into jail for a criminal mischief charge. His bond total is now $1.38 million. Officials earlier reported that Chappelle escaped Tuesday while being transported to a different location and was eventually arrested the same day after breaking into two houses. A detention officer was transporting Chappelle from the north jail to the central jail around 1 p.m.

Chappelle was inside a law enforcement vehicle, and authorities said he escaped when the car stopped on Gentry Parkway and Parkdale Drive in Tyler. The inmate reportedly kicked out a back window and barricade. The sheriff’s office says Chappelle then ran north and broke into two houses near Wisteria Drive. The detention officer called for other law enforcement, and the inmate was captured quickly again on Wisteria Drive, according to authorities. The sheriff’s office said Chappelle was still “causing problems” when he was detained and was pepper sprayed by officers. EMS checked out the inmate and he was cleared.