HOUSTON – Authorities are on the hunt for a prisoner who escaped custody Monday night while handcuffed.

Police said Raul Ramirez Jr. was being taken to the jail on Commerce near San Jacinto around 10:30 p.m. on a misdemeanor charge when he got away. He is now facing failure to identify and escape charges.

"Precinct 4 deputy was taking a prisoner into the processing center at the county jail when the prisoner ran away from the officer, the prisoner was handcuffed," Houston Police Lt. Larry Crowson said.

Harris County Precinct 4 deputies called the Houston Police Department, Harris County Precinct 1 and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for assistance.

They used K9s to search nearby bayous but did not find him.

“The charges of Failure to Identify and Escape have been presented to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and accepted. The charges have been filed and his arrest is pending. We ask that anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact local law enforcement or the Harris County Constable’s Office, Precinct 4,” Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said.

Ramirez also has an outstanding warrant for his arrest for theft.

Anyone with information about Ramirez's whereabouts should call police.

.@HCPrecinct4 deputy was bringing prisoner to jail when he escaped around 10:30 last night! Details in video. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/RMcWSfnrh9 — Jake Reiner (@Reiner_Jake) December 20, 2016

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