NATCHEZ —Natchez Police charged a man with escape Monday when he turned himself in after running out of the police department last week, Lt. Craig Godbold said.

James C. Luster III, 20, 551 W. Stiers Lane, had just been sentenced to 10 days in jail for three counts of contempt of court for default in payments when he escaped.

“A courtroom officer was walking him to the jail, and he ran out of the front door,” Godbold said. “He decided he didn’t want to spend 10 days in jail.”

Luster’s sentence will be extended by a number of days, Godbold said, but he couldn’t provide the exact duration of the stay, because Luster hasn’t yet been to court for the new charge.

“Usually when they escape they hide out just long enough to get the money to pay their fine,” Godbold said.