Linn County inmate who escaped from hospital caught, returned to jail

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Linn County inmate who escaped custody while at Mercy Medical Center on Saturday afternoon was caught and returned to jail later in the day.

Darrell Lee Lathum, 57, was to be returned to the Linn County Correctional Center following his hospital stay, but around 4 p.m. hospital staff notified the jail that he had fled.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Rapids Police Department searched for Lathum but could not find him.

Around 9 p.m., Linn County dispatch was notified about a man seen near Highway 13 and Highway 100 who matched Lathum’s description.

Marion police located the man and identified him as Lathum. He was taken into custody and transported to the Linn County Correctional Center without incident.

Lathum is in jail on charges of failure to appear for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.