Shackled Prisoner Escapes From Mass. Court

SALEM, Mass. -- Police are searching for a prisoner who escaped at Salem Superior Court and is on the run.

Prisoner Escapes From Court

Police said Miguel Angel Caraballo, 37, was shackled at the courthouse Wednesday morning. But at about 8:20 a.m. he somehow broke free from custody and ran into a waiting car just outside.

"All of a sudden, I was looking down, I was painting, I heard the shuffle of the chains. As soon as I turned around I yelled, 'Hey you!' I couldn't get around the fence fast enough to grab the guy if I wanted to. He was already getting in the back of the car and gone," said witness Tony Albano.

Salem police Sgt. Peter Shaffaval said the getaway car, which was a stolen white Nissan, was found in an alley between the Witches Museum and The Stepping Stone Inn.

Shaffaval said Caraballo may be with a Hispanic female with long dark hair who was wearing an orange jacket.

Caraballo has a lengthy criminal record, Shaffaval said. A team of 25 local, state and federal officers arrested Caraballo Tuesday morning at a Lowell apartment in connection with a December home invasion in Haverhill in which a man was pistol-whipped.

"Police learned that Caraballo had told numerous people that he would not go back to prison and would take any means necessary, including a shootout with police, to avoid arrest," state police said in a statement.

Caraballo was arraigned on charges of home invasion, unlawful possession of a firearm and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon Tuesday in Haverhill District Court. He was ordered held without bail.

Caraballo also faces warrant charges of violating the conditions of federal probation from a prior conviction, the Eagle Tribune reported. State police would not say what that conviction was for. He also was wanted for attempting to obtain a driver's license under a false name on March 20, the paper said.