Authorities in Northern California are asking the public for help finding an inmate who walked away from San Quentin State Prison last night.
The escaped inmate, identified as Shalom Mendoza, 24, reportedly walked away from the outgrounds support facility at the prison. Officials noticed Mendoza went missing during an institutional headcount at 9:35 p.m. Wednesday. A search then confirmed the inmate was missing.
Authorities say they believe Mendoza may have carjacked someone at the Home Depot in San Rafael that's located about 1 mile away from the prison. Mendoza got away in a Toyota RAV4 with the California license plate #6STZ502.
Mendoza 24, is described as Hispanic, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He's 5'5" tall and weighs 177 pounds. He was serving a five-year sentence that began last December for use of a deadly weapon during a carjack/attempted carjacking and evading or attempting to evade a police officer while driving recklessly.
He was transferred to San Quentin on April 28, 2018. The state prison is California's oldest and houses more than 4,200 inmates.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mendoza is being asked to contact Lt. Samuel Robinson at (415) 455-5000.
Photo: San Quentin State Prison