Escaped inmate captured at Ukiah apartment

A jail inmate attempted to escape from a Caltrans work crew in Ukiah on Tuesday but was quickly recaptured hiding in a nearby apartment, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said.

Michael Anderson, 35, took off from the work crew around 12:42 p.m. and was last seen headed up North State Street, the office said in a release. Deputies were joined by California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire personnel in searching for the man. A witness eventually pointed them to a nearby apartment.

When officers knocked on the door, the found resident Jeffrey Chenier, 55, who was arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant and also on suspicion of harboring a fugitive and other charges.

A search of the apartment turned up Anderson hiding in a shower stall. He refused to leave the shower, but deputies eventually managed to arrest him on suspicion of escape from custody, violation of probation and resisting arrest.

The sheriff's office said Anderson had recently been convicted of felony battery with serious bodily injury and sentenced to three years in state prison, but was serving his time in the county jail under the state's "realignment" program to reduce crowding in prisons.