Mom Says Inmate Has Escaped Multiple Times - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Mom Says Inmate Has Escaped Multiple Times

SALINAS, Calif. -- Lockdown at the Monterey County Jail. It was just after 2 p.m. Wednesday, when inmate James Rimbey, who was part of a work crew, walked right out the back door.

"They said, 'we're on lockdown' and I said, 'yeah you're on lockdown because my son just walked out of there,'" said Rimbey's Mother. 

She added, it's not the first time.

"They need to take a better look at their history, do you really think somebody that has left is not going to leave again, are you kidding me?," she said.

Last June while being transported from a Bay Area rehab center, Rimbey jumped out of the transport van and took off across Highway 101. He was on the run for a month before police found him.

This time he escaped directly from the jail. Witnesses last saw Rimbey at the Constitution Soccer Fields, Deputies and Salinas Police actively searched the area for hours but were unable to find him.

Sheriff Commander Lisa Nash said Rimbey doesn't have a violent past and had the approval to be in a work crew.

"Unfortunately these things can happen periodically, but we do take a good look at them and learn and move forward," said Nash.  

However, Rimbey's Mom said with his drug problem, he has a tendency to want to run to get that next fix and the jail needs to do a better job keeping him where he belongs.

"He hasn't contacted me, I'm sure he knows Mom's not too happy. I would like him to contact me, so that I can pick him up," she said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of James Rimbey is asked to call deputies at 755-3700