A Texas inmate serving a life sentence for murder escaped custody Thursday after he stabbed the driver of a prisoner-transport bus then fled on foot, officials and reports said.
Gonzalo Lopez, 46, somehow got out of his shackles and stabbed a corrections worker driving the bus full of inmates in Leon County, sparking a struggle that caused the out-of-control vehicle to crash, KBTX reported.
The driver was slashed in the hand with an unknown object, and Lopez managed to run off at around 1:20 p.m. even though there had reportedly been two armed correction officers on the bus.
Lopez had been onboard to go to a medical appointment, according to the TV station.
Multiple agencies were searching for the convicted killer Thursday night along Highway 7 near Interstate 45 outside of Centerville, about two hours north of Houston, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in an alert.
Lopez’s capital murder conviction came out of Hidalgo County, the department said. He also faced charges of attempted capital murder in Webb County, according to the department.
The fugitive is believed to still be wearing his white prison garb.
Gonzalo Lopez stabbed a prisoner-transport bus driver before escaping on foot.TDCJ/Twitter