Inmate seriously injured in a hit-and-run soon after his escape from a Hawaii jail

LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — An inmate’s escape from a Hawaii jail was short-lived when a vehicle hit him as he was running away on a highway early Friday, authorities said.

Matthew J. Ornellas Jr. was seriously injured in a hit-and-run soon after he escaped from Kauai Community Correctional Center just after 1 a.m., the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.

The department did not immediately respond to messages seeking details about the alleged escape.

Correctional officers found Ornellas on Kuhio Highway, about 100 yards (91 meters) from the jail. An ambulance transported him to a hospital, where he remained in serious condition Friday.

He is serving time for promoting a dangerous drug, according to the department. John Calma, a public defender, said he represented Ornellas for a probation violation. He declined to comment on the alleged escape but noted that it’s easy to walk away from the facility because there’s no tall fence or wall to surmount.

Kauai police said they are searching for the driver of the vehicle, who fled before first responders arrived. The vehicle hit Orenellas as he was running north in the southbound lane of Kuhio Highway, police said.