Escaped Salt Creek inmate is captured 12 hours later

A 28-year-old man who escaped from a minimum-security prison in Paskenta, in Northern California, was found hours later about 50 miles away, authorities said.

Tou Yeng Thao was last seen at Salt Creek Conservation Camp at about 5:15 p.m. Sunday and was captured in Chico at about 4:30 a.m. Monday by prison authorities. He was convicted in 2011 of possessing a firearm as an ex-felon and was scheduled to be paroled in November, authorities said.

Thao  was taken to Susanville prison. Officials said they would refer the matter to the Tehama County district attorney for prosecution.

ALSO:

Search continues for last of four men off Santa Cruz Island

Drug users' union in San Francisco part of growing movement

Crash of small plane sparks blaze north of Agua Dulce Airport

-- Paloma Esquivel

Photo: Tou Yeng Thao escaped from Salt Creek Conservation Camp Sunday. Credit: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation