JAY — A Jay man faces several misdemeanor charges following an incident Thursday night involving a domestic violence assault.

Police say he caused minor damage to a police cruiser while on the way to jail and then escaped when the vehicle got there.

Thomas Cook, 36, was arrested on charges of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal mischief, criminal mischief, violation of conditional release, escape and theft following the incident.

Police were called to a Main Street home about 11:52 p.m. for a domestic disturbance, Jay Police Detective Michael Mejia said.

When Officers Michael Booker and Fred Buchanan arrived, they found an assault had occurred and the windshield of a vehicle had been damaged. 

Cook was uncooperative with the officers as they arrested him, he said.  Cook continued to be uncooperative as they drove him to Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington. 

While in custody and in the rear seat of the cruiser, Cook intentionally caused minor damages to the prisoner compartment, he said in a released statement.

When the officers arrived at the jail and just as Booker stopped the vehicle, “Cook was able to roll down the rear window and open the door using the outside handle, allowing him to get out and escape from custody,” Mejia said.

Booker, with assistance from Wilton Police Sgt. Chad Abbott and corrections officers from the jail, was able to quickly locate Cook and take him back in to custody, Mejia said.

The officer later found the cruiser’s window control lock was not engaged which allowed Cook to roll his window down.

The charge of theft was made after a person at the residence in Jay told police Cook has stolen money before they arrived.

Along with the new charges, Cook had four warrants out for his arrest.  Two warrants were for failure to appear in court on charges of operating after habitual offender revocation, assault, domestic violence assault and criminal mischief. The other two warrants were for unpaid fines and fees.  Cook was out on bail with a conditional release from an unrelated arrest, according to police.

Thomas Cook