Dramatic Escape Attempt Caught on Video

In a stunning turn of events, a handcuffed defendant made a daring escape attempt from a Maine courthouse moments after being convicted of child assault. Nicolas Carter, 31, leaped over the bar and bolted out of a second-floor courtroom in Skowhegan on Wednesday, as captured in dramatic video footage.

The chase

The New York Post reported that Carter, still in handcuffs, dashed down the stairs and through the main hallway, narrowly avoiding at least one person as a detective, and several others pursued him. “All of a sudden, we hear this huge bang. Crash. Boom,” Skowhegan’s town manager told the Portland Press Herald, describing the chaos.

“This guy comes running down the stairs, handcuffed or shackled, trying to escape. He’s gripping the railing, jumping three stairs at a time. His feet weren’t shackled.”

Quick capture

Carter managed to make it outside the courthouse and across the street before tripping and falling. This allowed two jurors and a detective to catch up and detain him. He was taken back into custody without further incident and now faces an additional charge of escape, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Conviction and consequences

Carter had just been convicted of aggravated assault against a 14-month-old child, a Class A felony, after a three-day trial at Somerset County Superior Courthouse. Following the verdict, the judge ordered him into custody at Somerset County Jail, where he will await sentencing next month, Chief Deputy Mike Mitchell said.

Now back in custody, Carter will await his sentencing next month, facing not only the original conviction but also an additional charge of escape.