Officials: Correctional officers negligent prior to prison escape

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indiana state prison in michigan city

Three correctional officers at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City have been arrested in the wake of three inmates' escape on Sunday, July 12, 2009. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Jul 15, 2009 at 1:48 PM EST

Story Updated: Jul 15, 2009 at 5:45 PM EST

MICHIGAN CITY — The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) announced Wednesday that correctional officers may have been negligent leading up to the escape of three inmates from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City Sunday.

Mark Booher, Lance Battreal and Charles Smith escaped sometime after the 5 a.m. count in their housing unit, according to IDOC Commissioner Edwin G. Buss.

The inmates escaped through barred and locked tunnels, pipes and storm drains under the 149-year-old facility, exiting onto 7th and Grant streets through a manhole cover.

The ongoing investigation into the escape determined three correctional officers may have been negligent in supervising the inmates, according to Buss.

Two of the convicts worked as assistants with the prison maintenance staff. Offenders are required to be under constant supervision while working in the tunnels. Investigators believe the offenders had unauthorized and unsupervised access to the tunnels on numerous occasions in the recent past.

Officials do not believe the correctional officers knew of the inmates' plans or otherwise assisted in their escape. The three officers are being suspended, however, until the investigation into their involvement is completed.

The tunnels have now been secured, and the prison remains on lockdown.

Police captured Charles Smith, a convicted murderer, Monday morning near Grand Beach, Mich., but are still looking for 46-year-old Mark Booher of New Castle, Ind., who was convicted of an Indianapolis murder in 1999, and Lance Battreal, 45, a convicted rapist from Rockport, Ind.

About noon Wednesday someone in LaPorte County called police after seeing a man matching the description of Booher come out of the woods and then return to the woods, according to U.S. marshals. An Indiana State Police helicopter and K-9 units are searching the area around U.S. 12 and Karwick Road in the Michigan City-Long Beach area.

A tip line has been set up for information about the two remaining escapees.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Chad Dick said the private tip line at (800) 78CRIME, or (800) 782-7463, is offering a $6,000 reward for a tip that leads to the capture of the two suspects.

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