Law officers stop jail escape attempt

(sending mug shot of Chadwick Alan McMillen)

Local law officers Sunday afternoon stopped a man from escaping the Orange County Jail. The 35-year-old man was hidden in the ceiling area of the jail before being found.

The man, who has a long criminal history and was released from state prison in late 2022, was arrested on January 4 for a string of crimes in West Orange and Orange that included stolen vehicles, a chase in which a shotgun was fired at police, and then a standoff with the Orange Regional Tactical Team.

Orange County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Mark Dubois reported correction officers in the jail noticed at 2:56 p.m. that Chadwick Alan McMillen was missing and had climbed through a loose ceiling tile in the jail's chapel.

Chief Dubois said the jail was immediately put on lockdown status. The Orange Police Department and Orange Fire Department were asked to help and the roof of the jail was searched and guarded. Fifty minutes after McMillen was missing, he was found hiding in the expansive ceiling area of the jail.

In addition to his other charges, McMillen will now have an escape charge added.

Police in January reported a man broke into the new West Orange-Cove CISD Transportation Center in West Orange and stole an SUV. The SUV a while later crashed into the Stateline Valero convenience store on Interstate 10 in Orange. Security recordings show a man in the SUV get out, walk around, and steal the cash register.

Hours later, a man broke into Frey's Landscaping, also off Interstate 10 in Orange, and stole a truck. Police later saw the truck and began chasing it. During the chase, the driver of the stolen truck fired a gun at officers.

The truck wrecked in a ditch off Cordrey Avenue near 16th Street and the driver ran off.

Police later tracked the man down to an apartment complex in Orange and had a standoff with him for three hours before he surrendered.

Orange County Jail records show McMillen is facing a charge of aggravated assault on a public servant in connection with shooting at police. Bond is set at $1 million. He also has charges of theft, a felon in possession of a firearm, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, burglary of a building, evading detention with a vehicle, and now escape. Those charges have total bonds off $75,000.