Get All Access for $5/mo

Video Catches Moment Man Escapes Prison Authorities in Wild TikTok A Texas man was caught on camera after he escaped from a transfer vehicle.

By Emily Rella

In an unbelievable caught-on-camera moment, a woman captured a Texas inmate escaping a prison vehicle and posted it to TikTok where the video has already garnered over 3 million views.

In the clip, a man clad in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs can be seen sprinting through a parking lot as the woman shooting the video laughs and screams while following him with her camera.

@theyenvyjanae Baby said he gone.. #fyp #viraltiktok ♬ original sound - theyenvyjanae

"Y'all actually got this on camera," one user joked in the comments. "I thought this was a movie scene."

The inmate then turns the corner and jumps over a fence as law enforcement chases him and fails to stop him. The woman then pans the camera back to the sheriff's transfer vehicle where the man escaped from, showing his orange prison sandal still on the ground.

"You lost the inmate," the girl recording the video says, mocking the officer. "Where's your backup?"

Per local outlet KLTV, the inmate, now identified as Timothy Chappelle, was being transferred from a low-risk facility to a main facility downtown in Tyler, Texas where he was serving time for felony criminal mischief charges after breaking and entering two homes.

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said that Chappelle escaped by kicking open the window of the van when it was stopped at a red light in an intersection.

In a follow-up video, Chappelle can be seen being detained on the front lawn of a house after an officer pins him down and back up escorts him to the vehicle.

@theyenvyjanae Replying to @tkuv813 #fyp #CODSquadUp #viraltiktok #inmatesoftiktok #funnystory #crazy ♬ original sound - theyenvyjanae

"He was practicing for a marathon," one viewer joked.

According to KLTV, Chappelle is now being charged with escape and two counts of burglary of a habitation.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Science & Technology

AI Marketing vs. Human Expertise: Who Wins the Battle and Who Wins the War?

Uncover the truth about AI in marketing and why it's a ticking time bomb for unprepared businesses! As AI revolutionizes the marketing landscape, understanding its long-term impact is crucial.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.