Two inmates at the privately-owned Pine Prairie prison escaped this morning, but have been recaptured.
Kelman Bejarano-Batiz and Wilmer Alexander Ramirez-Espana allegedly escaped Sunday morning from the prison, and were captured a few hours later at an Oakdale convenience store, a release from the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office says.
Batiz and Ramirez-Espana will be brought back to the GEO Facility, where they will face charges of Simple Escape and possibly other charges, the release states.
Batiz is serving a sentence for an April drunk driving conviction. Ramirea-Espana is serving time for a minor traffic violation.
The investigation is still ongoing.
The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following departments for their assistance: Louisiana State Police, Angola Prison Chase Team (Louisiana State Prison), Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office, Oakdale Police Department, Eunice Police Department, Pine Prairie Police Department and the employees and staff of the Pine Prairie Correctional Center, the release states.
