OKLAHOMA CITY — A cellphone video captured the alarming moment an inmate hung out of the rear window of a moving Oklahoma Department of Corrections transport van along Interstate 40.
The incident occurred on Sept. 2 during what officials described as a routine transport, NBC News reports. Bystander video shows the inmate — partially clothed in an orange jumpsuit — dangling from the back of the vehicle as it traveled at highway speed through Oklahoma City.
The van’s rear window appeared to be missing or broken, and brake lights illuminated as the vehicle moved toward the shoulder of the road. In the video, the inmate can be seen facing traffic and gesturing to motorists behind the van.
The bystander who took the video told KFOR that she was riding in the passenger seat while her sister drove. The pair initially thought it might be a prank.
“It only lasted for about a minute or two until they pulled off the highway,” she told KFOR.
In a statement, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections said the inmate caused damage to the van and began hanging out of the back window. Officers recognized the situation immediately, exited the interstate, and called for backup.
The inmate was “secured,” and the transport continued without further incident, the agency said.
