Speaking while in custody at the Maricopa County 4th Avenue Jail, Rodolfo Avalos recalls only one arm was chained to the hospital bed at Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center after being brought there by Salt River police following a car chase, crash and foot chase. He soon realized the handcuff was loose enough for him to squeeze out of.
“I was able to maneuver, pretty easily in and out.” said Avalos who is quick to excuse the officer and admits he doesn’t want to get him into trouble. Avalos says he knew he was outweighed by the cop so he waited for an opportunity and it became available to him when the officer stepped away momentarily.
“I had already established to myself that I was leaving if the chance arose, and there it was," he said.
He says he was surprised to find an intersection in front of him when he ran out of the ER, so he ran to the first car at the light and planned to ask for a ride and figure out his next move from there; he didn’t want to hurt anyone.
The woman driving told police she panicked and accidentally hit the door locks instead of the window when Avalos showed up at her passenger window. He says if she wouldn’t have opened he would’ve kept moving and found another car but instead when she got out of her car he took the wheel and took off.
He says all day long he was fueled by the need to get away from police and avoid going back to jail where he’s spent most of his adult life. He says he realizes now that while he may have gotten arrested during the traffic stop that started this since he was out on bail, he probably wouldn’t be facing the jail time he is now facing.
“I don’t feel that there’s anything wrong with me, I just keep ending up right here,” Avalos said.
Avalos was arrested three weeks later after another reported carjacking in Tempe.
