Willits man flees courthouse after judge’s order

A Willits man is behind bars on new charges after fleeing the Mendocino County Courthouse.

Dustin Henderson, 39, on Friday bolted from a courtroom after a judge ordered him to be taken into custody on an attempted murder charge, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. Henderson broke a glass door at the courthouse to escape and ran up North State Street, triggering a multi-law enforcement agency search. He was apprehended a short time later, hiding under a bridge on North School Street, sheriff’s officials said.

Henderson was taken into custody without further incident and returned to the Superior Court where his hearing was completed, officials said.

Henderson on Tuesday remained in the Mendocino County Jail on $1 million bond. In addition to the attempted murder charge, he’s now being held on charges of prisoner escape and committing a felony while released from custody.