11/16/2011
ERIN MATHEWS Salina Journal

A Salina woman remained at large Tuesday afternoon after twice giving Salina police the slip, even while she was handcuffed.

Lindsay Houte, 26, 562 Uppermill Heights, was being picked up on two misdemeanor warrants -- one from Salina Municipal Court for failure to pay, and a Saline County District Court warrant for a parole violation, said Capt. Mike Sweeney, of the Salina Police Department.

A desk officer at the Salina Police Department said late Tuesday afternoon that Houte had not been apprehended and more information would be made available today.

About 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sweeney said, officers arrested Houte at her residence. Her hands were handcuffed, but she slipped her hands out of the cuffs and took off running, he said. She fell shortly after that, and officers caught up with her and again placed her hands in cuffs behind her back, Sweeney said.

Officers placed Houte in the back of a patrol car. They were attending to other matters outside of the car when Houte opened an unlatched sliding window in the cage between the front and rear seats in the patrol car, Sweeney said. She climbed through the small window, still in cuffs, and let herself out the front passenger door of the patrol car, Sweeney said.

Dogs couldn't help

Sweeney said he was unsure if Houte had gotten her hands in front of her body. He said Houte is about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.

Sweeney said officers saw Houte running away but were unable to catch up with her. Police dogs were brought to search the area east of Bill Burke Park, but Houte was not found, he said.