Linn County Jail inmate: My wife is dying and I’m not coming back

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Linn County Jail inmate who didn't return from work release for more than a day claimed his wife was dying, a claim deputies learned was false.

According to the sheriff's office, Kenneth W. Kistner, Jr., 53, of Cedar Rapids, was serving a 180-day sentence for contempt of court on a revocation of probation in a drunken driving case. Kistner was released from the jail on Oct. 27 at 7 a.m. as part of a court-ordered work release. Kistner was supposed to return to the jail that day at 7 p.m., but failed to do so.

A Linn County Attorney's Office criminal complaint states that Kistner called the jail on Oct. 27 and said he wasn't coming back. Authorities said Kistner told jail deputies his wife had been admitted into Mercy Medical Center and was dying. However, when deputies called the hospital, they learned she was not a patient there.

Authorities said Kistner called back to say he needed time to sober up before coming back to the jail.

Kistner was taken into custody by the sheriff's office at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday and returned to the jail. He now faces one count of escape - absence from custody, a serious misdemeanor.