A Pensacola man who appeared at the Escambia County Courthouse in Brewton Thursday for a paternity test was arrested inside the courtroom on outstanding warrants from Atmore and later escaped prior to being loaded into the transport van to take him to the county jail.
Kylle Nicholas Cota, 23, was captured shortly after the escape and now faces additional charges of escape, theft and identity theft.
According to reports from the sheriff's office, Cota was in court Thursday on a petition to establish paternity. Court officers learned that he had an outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants for his arrest on theft charges from the Atmore Police Department.
He was placed in handcuffs inside the courtroom but before deputies could get him into the transport van he fled on foot, still in handcuffs.
Cota apparently crawled under Camp 31 and was able to get the handcuffs off and then went to a nearby business and told those there to shut the door and that he was running from police.
Brewton police officers were able to take him into custody at that point.
Sheriff's Capt. Bill Blair said the theft charge stems from Cota stealing the handcuffs and the identity theft was for giving a false name.
