An inmate with a violent history who escaped from a jail in Hollister earlier this week is now back in jail after he was captured Wednesday night in San Jose, authorities say.
Daniel Lopez Zavala, who scaled a barbed-wire fence at San Benito County Jail on Tuesday, was captured at a San Jose hotel at around 7 p.m. Wednesday along with his girlfriend, who police say helped him flee the Hollister area.
The girlfriend, identified as 31-year-old Luz Mendoza of Hollister, could face charges, the sheriff's office said. She and another woman who allegedly helped Lopez Zavala after his escape were taken into custody as well.
All three were later transported to San Benito County jail.
San Benito County Sheriff Eric Taylor took to social media to personally thank San Jose police and other neighboring agencies for the assist.
"We’re also eternally grateful to our friends at the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crimes Task Force, as well as the San Jose Police Department, as they helped us locate this male in San Jose tonight and took him into custody without incident," Taylor wrote Wednesday night in a Facebook post.
Taylor initially blamed the escape on a lack of jail staffing but said he’s still investigating where all of the breakdowns were that allowed Lopez Zavala to escape.
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Lopez Zavala is a known gang associate with a violent criminal history, including felony gun and child abuse charges, Taylor said.
Taylor added that others who helped him escape and hide also will be investigated and possibly charged with crimes.
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