A Tarrant County jail inmate escaped from a transport van Monday morning but was captured within hours, wearing only boxers and a T-shirt.
The escape of Carlos Rodriguez Romero, 27, prompted a multi-agency manhunt that shut down parts of Fort Worth and raised questions about transport security.
Romero slipped through his handcuffs around 11:45 a.m. while being transported to a court appearance. He escaped the van near the 4600 block of Mark IV Parkway.
The search involved K-9 units, Fort Worth police, and North Richland Hills officers. Authorities located Romero at a trailer park near Interstate 35W and Loop 820.
Aerial video showed Romero in boxers and a white undershirt during his 1 p.m. capture. He was taken into custody blocks from his escape point.
“When chuckleheads decide to run from law enforcement, we’ve had a great tradition in Tarrant County and our partners of putting them back where they need to be and keeping the community safe,” Sheriff Bill Waybourn said at a press conference, Fox 4 KDFW reported.
Romero had been arrested on December 4, 2025, on aggravated robbery and tampering charges. He now faces additional charges for the escape.
Waybourn said his department will investigate the transport van’s lock system. The sheriff promised changes to prevent future escapes.
The incident marks another security breach for county jail transport operations. Officials have not disclosed how Romero managed to exit the moving vehicle.