Minimum security inmate caught in New Mexico after escaping near Durango

DURANGO, Colo. (KRDO) -- UPDATE: The Department of Corrections reported that Timothy O'Brien was arrested in Farmington, New Mexico after escaping custody Saturday morning.

O'Brien will be sent back to Colorado and will face new charges related to his escape.

Previous Coverage:

The Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) is asking for the community's help finding an inmate who fled a worksite near Durango Saturday morning.

The DOC released that 56-year-old Timothy O'Brien stole a vehicle from his assigned community worksite and cut his ankle monitor around mid-morning on Saturday. Law enforcement believes he is driving a 2008 White Suburban license plate number ALS-F39.

Local law enforcement is actively searching for O'Brien, and the Office of the Inspector General is investigating the incident.

"If you see the inmate do not attempt to approach. Call 9-1-1 to notify law enforcement," the DOC said in a release Saturday.

O'Brien is described as being 6 feet tall, 196 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He began a 16 year sentence in 2012 for aggravated robbery out of Chaffee County. He was also sentenced to an additional year for drug charges while incarcerated in 2019. He was serving his sentences at the Delta Correctional Facility and was eligible for parole in November of next year.