A prisoner who flew the coop in a Montezuma County courtroom late Friday afternoon kept nearby residents on high alert as he streaked through Cortez neighborhoods shedding his prison-issue black-and-white-striped apparel.

Twenty-year-old Christopher Charles Martinez of Cortez was arrested Thursday night on a warrant and was appearing before the court Thursday when he suddenly fled from the courtroom, past security and out of the Justice Building.

County court clerk Donna Sullivan said the judge had just set bail at $50,000 and Martinez had not shown any signs of emotion when he surprised the court with his rash action.

"We’ve never had anything like this happen before," Sullivan said.

A Journal reporter was in the Justice Building as the prisoner burst through the courtroom door, flailing his arms in an effort to push past his father and girlfriend.

The girlfriend and father were attempting to stop the prisoner as he left the building and area on foot, the reporter said.

According to scanner reports, Martinez stripped himself of the identifiable black-and-white-striped prison suit behind Just for Kids, 2703 Mancos Rd., in mid-flight.

Police received word of a positive sighting of the fugitive at 910 E. Garrison. A

ccording to scanner reports, Martinez knocked on the door of the residence and "asked for a pair of pants." The homeowner said Martinez was braving the chilly weather while clad only in his boxer shorts. The homeowner refused the man’s request and telephoned the police.

Montezuma County Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Kalvin Boggs said the city police and the sheriff’s office had combined forces to search for the escaped prisoner. He said major efforts were being made by officers with K-9’s.

"They’ll establish a track and hopefully track him to wherever he went to," Boggs said.

Normally there is a deputy in the courtroom with the prisoner, Boggs said. But he was not sure what the circumstances were at the time of the escape.

"In this case I have no idea," Boggs said. "Obviously we’re going to have to check into that."

Martinez is charged with numerous counts including felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance and another charge related to weapons, Sullivan said.