Original Article Inmate on loose after Tent City jailbreak 2 captured; officials fix 'design flaw' Judi Villa The Arizona Republic Oct. 6, 2005 12:00 AM Three inmates escaped from Maricopa County's Tent City Jail compound by shimmying up a small portion of the fencing that was not electrified, officials said Wednesday. It took them only 24 seconds. "It's a design flaw," Sheriff Joe Arpaio said. "A little flaw, but they latched on to it." Two of the inmates, Chad Merrill, 19, and David F. Thomas, 18, were captured Wednesday morning in central Phoenix. Michael L. Williams, 20, remains on the loose. The inmates escaped during chow time Tuesday from a corner of the Tent City yard where an interior fence surrounding a watchtower joins the exterior electrified fence, Arpaio said. He said the inmates climbed the interior fence, then walked across a pole at the top that does not carry electricity. Once at the top, they apparently got their footing on another pole between two electrified fences and dropped about 15 feet to freedom. The escape was captured on videotape. On Wednesday, officials added coils of barbed wire to the corner to prevent escapes. Arpaio said a pilot program, which was in the works before the escape, could put wrist monitors on Tent City inmates. "We learn by our problems," Arpaio said. "We correct our deficiencies if there are any." Meanwhile, Merrill and Thomas were arrested by Phoenix police Wednesday morning in a grocery store parking lot at Seventh Street and McDowell Road. Officers set up surveillance after they received a tip that the men would be there, said police Detective Tony Morales. Merrill and Thomas arrived in separate stolen vehicles. A woman driving a third stolen vehicle also was arrested. Police are investigating to see if the three inmates were involved in a carjacking shortly after the jail escape. It was unclear Wednesday if the three had any help escaping. Arpaio said he didn't believe other inmates were involved. He also said Williams and Merrill previously had served time at Tent City and might have been "studying that design flaw." "They took advantage of that," Arpaio said. All three inmates were serving sentences of three to six months for bad checks and parole violations. At least one was expected to be released in early December. All could now have one to five years added to their sentence for the escape, Arpaio said. Nearly 2,000 inmates are housed in tents. The electric fence carries a 50,000-volt jolt and was installed in August 2003. Tuesday night's escape was the first at the compound since the fence was installed. Inmate Gary Eakin, who is serving seven months in the tents for a probation violation, said he was surprised to hear of the escapes. "I've never even heard anybody even talking about something like that," Eakin said, adding he wouldn't think to try it. "I'm 59 years old. There's no way I could climb it. Even if you get up top, you'd have to get down."