Freedom Brief for Van Zandt County Escapee

CANTON — A man who escaped from the Van Zandt County Jail enjoyed freedom for less than 20 minutes before being recaptured. Wade Glenn Mathis, 20, escaped shortly before 5:00 yesterday afternoon. He escaped the facility by scaling a 12’ outer perimeter security fence topped with razor security wire. Mathis was being held pending trial for three charges of possession of controlled Substances, Felony Theft and evading arrest or detention. fled into a wooded area north and west of the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and traveled west, approximately one half of a mile, and came out onto Texas Highway 64 where he was arrested without incident shortly before 5:15.

After his arrest. Mathis was transported to the Van Zandt County Jail where an additional charge of Escape, a third degree felony, was filed on the inmate. An inmate count was conducted immediately after the escape and it was determined that all other inmates were present and accounted for. Mathis has previously ben handled by Smith County authorities. He had charged with Possession of Controlled Substance in a drug free zone and a misdemeanor drug charge.