Sheriff’s Office Says Inmate Tried to Escape Through Ceiling

A 20-year-old Columbia man is accused of trying to escape from the Boone County jail by climbing through the ceiling.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports a corrections officer heard noises coming from one of the jail's housing units around 10:45 a.m. Thursday and saw ceiling damage above a shower.

Detective Tom O'Sullivan says corrections officers found Timothy Midgyett Jr. hiding in a crawl space. He was treated at a hospital for minor injuries and returned to the jail Thursday afternoon.

Midgyett was arrested Tuesday morning on several warrants and suspicion of numerous other crimes, including endangering the welfare of a child and domestic assault. He could face additional charges of attempted escape and felony property damage.

Online court records did indicate whether he had obtained an attorney.