Court docs: Inmate escaped North Austin hospital through ceiling before police took him back into custody

An inmate escaped briefly from St. David's North Austin Medical Center on August 21, 2026, after breaking through a ceiling panel while using a hospital bathroom. Henry Eduardo Rodriguez, 43, who was handcuffed to a hospital bed under police supervision awaiting discharge, allegedly locked the bathroom door, breached an air-conditioning panel, and climbed into the ceiling before exiting through a helipad door. Police located and arrested him on a southbound CapMetro bus in North Central Austin approximately five minutes later. Rodriguez, already facing drug-related felony charges, now also faces a third-degree felony charge of escape from custody.