Bowie CO Allegedly Allowed Inmate To Escape, Provided Cuff Key

TEXARKANA, Texas–A former Bowie County correctional officer allegedly helped an inmate escape from a local emergency room by leaving a handcuff key within easy reach of the accused felon.

Michael Alexander Flores, 21, allegedly told Omarion Lamon Owens, 22, that he was leaving his job with Bowie County for one in “the oilfield” and just “didn’t care” if he escaped during a visit to a local emergency room last week, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Flores had been tasked with escorting Owens while he was seen by medical staff at the CHRISTUS St. Michael’s Hospital emergency room on St. Michael’s Drive on Oct. 21. When a jail transport van dropped them off, Owens was wearing hand cuffs, belly chains and leg irons that could only be unlocked with a special key.

As Flores and Owens entered the emergency room, Owens allegedly asked an employee he knew to call the mother of his child and ask her to come to the ER so the two could visit, the affidavit said.

Flores allegedly allowed Owens to talk to the mother of his child on a cell phone handed to Owens by the hospital employee, the affidavit said.

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Flores allegedly escorted Owens to an enclosed family room in the emergency area of the hospital. A woman with a small child came to the emergency room and was observed on video surveillance outside the door of the family room conversing with Owens “for a considerable amount of time,” the affidavit said.

“Owens began speaking to Flores about needing to leave to see his children before he was sent to prison for the rest of his life,” the affidavit said.

After the mother of Owens’ child left the hospital, Flores reportedly asked a lieutenant with the Bowie County jail who was also at the hospital with an inmate, to borrow his handcuff key, telling the lieutenant that his handcuff key was not working.

Flores told the lieutenant he needed to uncuff Owens from a wheelchair so that he could use the bathroom. Flores allegedly allowed Owens to enter a bathroom twice unattended. Owens bolted from the restroom after his second visit and fled from the hospital.

He was captured hours later at a Texarkana, Texas, apartment complex.

After his arrest, Owens allegedly told investigators with the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office that Flores “told him to go and that he didn’t care.”

“Owens advised that he told Flores he couldn’t leave wearing the restraints,” and that Flores told him to “take them off.”

Owens allegedly told the investigators that he helped himself to a handcuff key that was clearly visible in a clear tote that Flores had brought with him to the hospital and that when he concealed the key on his person, “Flores did not do or say anything.”

Owens allegedly told the investigators that he removed all of his restraints while in the bathroom the first time, but put them back on when he realized a hospital security guard was nearby. After his second trip to the bathroom, Owens allegedly said the guard had moved on and he was able to flee after removing his restraints in the bathroom and stashing them in a trash can.

Flores allegedly chased Owens for about 100 feet before stopping and calling 911 to report the escape.

Flores allegedly denied that he had intentionally allowed Owens to escape. He faces two to ten years in prison if found guilty of permitting or facilitating the escape.

Flores is currently free on a $75,000 bond. Owens is currently being held in the Bowie County jail without bail.

In addition to the escape charge leveled against him last week, Owens is facing charges of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury and aggravated robbery. Since his initial arrest on the robbery and assault charges in August 2025, Owens has picked up several additional felony charges in the jail, including two escape charges and possession of a deadly weapon in a penal institution.

In June, Owens was one of several inmates charged with escape after they allegedly used pieces of fabric from blankets to defeat the locks on their cell doors. Last month, Owens allegedly posted a photo of a shank on the floor of his jail cell with a contraband cell phone.

Owens faces five to 99 years or life in prison if found guilty of aggravated robbery. He is scheduled for a trial later this year before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell.

TXKtoday coverage of Omarion Owens

• June 26: Three inmates charged with escape after using blankets to pick cell locks at Bowie County jail
• Oct. 8: Facebook post from jail leads to deadly weapon charge for Bowie inmate
• Oct. 21: Accused Texarkana shooter escapes custody at CHRISTUS St. Michael; police searching St. Michael Drive area
• Oct. 22: Escaped Bowie County inmate Omarion Owens captured after overnight manhunt
• Oct. 22: Judge denies bond for Omarion Owens on new escape charge, moves his trial up to Dec. 7
• Oct. 23: Former Bowie County jailer charged with helping Omarion Owens escape from hospital