Inmate tries to tunnel out of jail

A California man being held on stolen weapons charges and suspected in a series of robberies in the Fresno area allegedly tried to escape his Carson City Jail cell through the ceiling early Tuesday morning.

According to the arrest report, an officer checked on Martin Earl Rushing, 40, about midnight after hearing noises coming from his cell. When the deputy looked inside he saw a hole in the ceiling and Rushing with injuries.

"I saw a large amount of broken drywall and building material on the floor," wrote Deputy Brett Bindley. "Martin had several lacerations on his hands and was bleeding. Mixed into the blood on his hands were parts of drywall and plaster."

Rushing was removed from the cell without incident.

Officers discovered Rushing had removed a leg brace from an injury he claimed to have received in the chase and was allegedly using the brace to dig through the ceiling.

He was the only person in the cell.

Sheriff Ken Furlong said while Martin was able to get through the drywall, he couldn't get past mesh wiring put in place as a precaution against escape.

"When he put his head up in the hole it resulted in a lot of superficial cuts," said Furlong.

He said this wasn't the first time someone tried to dig their way out of jail.

"They do a lot of damage but they can't get out, they just think they can," he said.

Rushing was additionally booked on charges of felony attempted escape, malicious destruction of property and damage to jail. Furlong said the damage likely exceeds $2,000.

Rushing has been in custody since May 26 following a short car and foot chase in South Carson City. He was allegedly found in possession of a number of stolen weapons and methamphetamine.

Upon his arrest it was discovered he was wanted in connection with a series of commercial robberies in the California towns of Merced, Madera, Fresno and Los Banos.

He is being held on $100,000 bail.