California jail escapee taken into custody; two still missing

One of the three inmates who escaped from a California jail last week has turned himself in, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens told reporters in Santa Ana.

Bac Tien Duong, 43, was taken into custody in Santa Ana on Friday morning.

Hutchens said Duong approached a citizen on the street just before noon and said he wanted to turn himself in.

Duong was the chief suspect in the theft of a white GMC van that was stolen on Saturday, one day after he escaped with Hossein Nayeri, 37, and Jonathan Tieu, 20.

Authorities are still looking for the van and the other two escapees.

The fugitives likely escaped after a 5 a.m. headcount last Friday but it wasn’t until more than 15 hours later that authorities discovered the sophisticated escape.

The inmates used tools to cut through security bars in a plumbing tunnel and into air vents. They also apparently used sheets braided into ropes to rappel down four to five stories — about 50 feet — from the roof of the jail.

Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, who taught English-as-a-second-language at the jail was arrested Thursday in connection with the escape.

Developing story — more to come.

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