A Hawaii inmate who escaped from a prison last week, ran onto an interstate and was hit by a car while fleeing police has died, authorities said.
Matthew J. Ornelas Jr., 33, escaped from the Kauai Community Correctional Center last Friday, but was the victim of a serious hit-and-run shortly after fleeing the facility. On Thursday, the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced that he died from the injuries he sustained.
Officials at the facility said Ornelas used razor wire to scale the fence and prison officers chased him, but they lost sight of him.
Correctional officers then heard a loud noise and eventually found Ornelas on the interstate about 100 yards from the prison. He suffered serious injuries and was subsequently hospitalized.
Inmate escapes from Hawaii prison, then becomes victim of hit-and-run
Matthew J. Ornelas Jr. escaped from the Kauai Community Correctional Center just after 1 a.m. Friday, according to the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Kauai Police said Olenellas was traveling north in the southbound lanes of Kuhio Highway when he was struck.
He was serving time for a drug conviction, according to the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it continues to investigate the escape.
A view of the Waikiki district skyline in Honolulu, December 31, 2014. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)
Mr. Ornelas was a minimum security inmate at the Kauai Community Correctional Center.
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The Kauai Community Correctional Center has approximately 130 beds. (Marie Eliel Hobro/Washington Post)
According to Kauai Police, authorities are continuing to search for the driver of the vehicle, which fled before first responders arrived.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
