FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 16, 2012

CONTACT: Capt. Kevin Joffer, Lt. Alan Welsh or Lt. Paul Gerken, SD Highway Patrol, (605) 367-5700

          Escaped Florida Prisoner Still at Large

SPENCER, S.D. – A Florida man who escaped from a private prison-transport van early Saturday morning during a fuel stop on Interstate 90 near Spencer remained at large on Monday, authorities said.

Oscar Antonio Herrera-Menjivar, 31, was one of 13 prisoners being taken to a Nebraska facility by a private prison-transport van. The van stopped at a fuel station about 2 a.m., and Herrera-Menjivar managed to escape and fled south-southeast.

He is 5-feet 5, 140 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He may be wearing a prison orange shirt, or he may be wearing a blue T-shirt, shorts and black running shoes, authorities say. He is a native of Mexico whose last known address was Florida.

Law enforcement officials involved in the search continue to follow up any leads but haven’t had credible sightings as of Monday morning. McCook County Sheriff Mark Norris is handling public information on the escape and search. He may be contacted at (605) 425-2761.

Authorities encourage the public not to pick up hitchhikers in the area and to report any suspicious activity. They also advise that the escapee should be considered dangerous.

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