ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Steven Byers was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants earlier this year, including driving a stolen vehicle and operating as a contractor without a license. 

Before he was taken to jail, he was taken to the Lovelace Hospital after he complained about chest pain.

“I think I’m having a heart attack, dude,” Steven said. 

While being treated, Byers asked to use the restroom. BCSO Deputy Lorenzo Herrera led him there but gave him this warning as he took off the cuffs:

“No funny business, don’t take off, don’t do anything stupid.”

The first bathroom break went smoothly. Byers then saw the doctor and was given some medicine. 45 minutes later, he asked to go to the bathroom again, but this bathroom break took longer than the last one.

Nurses and Herrera soon found out Byers wasn’t in the bathroom anymore. The next 10 minutes were chaos as nurses moved patients to safety and deputies tried to figure out which way Byers went.

Eventually, they found him – Byers had crawled into the ceiling. After dropping into a space between the walls, Byers was found curled up under some insulation.

Byers was put back in handcuffs and the nurses gave him a clean bill of heath so he could be discharged and taken to jail. But not before asking to go to the bathroom again.

Byers had to wait until he was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center before his next bathroom break.