Inmate who escaped from Houston courthouse after holding staff member at knifepoint arrested after hours-long manhunt

An inmate who escaped during an appearance at the Houston courthouse Thursday after holding a staff member at knifepoint has been captured, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.

In a social media post, the office said Joshua Nigel Thomas Sanders, 35, was in custody “at 3 a.m. on June 14” after being “apprehended by the Fugitive Violent Offender Task Force.” in eastern Harris County.

He was being held for three burglaries and illegal possession of a weapon by a felon., said Harris County Deputy Chief Phillip Bosquez during a press conference.

Sanders appeared at the courthouse at 1301 Franklin Street around 3:30 p.m. local time, authorities said. He held a court staff member at knifepoint, Harris County Prosecutor Kim Ogg said in a statement, before fleeing the courthouse.

“Earlier today, one of our employees was held against her will by a man armed with a knife who apparently escaped from official custody,” Ogg said. “We are thankful and grateful that she was not physically harmed during this incident.”

Bosquez said that after escaping from the courthouse, Sanders “accosted” a driver and got into his car, but it then crashed “a few feet away” and the inmate fled.

“After the car was disabled in the crash, the subject got out of the car and ran down the street,” Bosquez said. “That was our last place with him on camera.”

There were no injuries in the accident.

Marine units searched the bayou for the suspect.

Sanders has no fixed address, Bosquez said, and authorities believed he was armed with a knife.