A man who fled from a Hawaii jail and was struck by a vehicle has passed away from his injuries, according to authorities.
Matthew J. Ornellas Jr. sustained serious injuries in a hit-and-run after escaping from Kauai Community Correctional Center early Friday morning, as confirmed by the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Ornellas managed to scale a fence topped with razor wire, with correctional officers in pursuit. Despite efforts to locate him, he disappeared into dense brushland.
Shortly after, a loud noise was heard from the nearby road, leading authorities to discover Ornellas lying beside Kuhio Highway, approximately 100 yards from the jail.
He was promptly taken to a hospital where he remained in serious condition and under custody.
Sadly, his condition worsened, and he was pronounced dead on Thursday.
The 33-year-old Ornellas was serving time for a drug-related conviction as a minimum-security inmate.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is actively investigating the escape.
Ornellas was struck while running north in the southbound lane of Kuhio Highway, according to Kauai police.
The driver fled the scene before emergency responders arrived, and police are currently seeking information from the public regarding the incident.
This incident adds to the four traffic-related fatalities on Kauai this year, as reported by local police.
A public defender who previously represented Ornellas declined to comment on the escape.
In a broader context, CBS News delved into data from 26 states in September, revealing over 1,100 documented instances of escapes from law enforcement custody over the past five years.
