GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Police spent several minutes tracking a woman as she awkwardly made her way across ceiling tiles at the Kent County Courthouse in an apparent effort to escape.

She didn't make it far and Kent County sheriff's deputies took 27-year-old Jessica Lynn Cato into custody.

Cato was attending a "Thinking Matters" class on the second-floor of the courthouse when a courthouse staff member learned she had two bench warrants for her arrest. The worker called for courthouse security to respond.

A ceiling tile is missing on the second-floor of the Kent County Courthouse after a woman climbed into scaffolding above the tiles on Thursday, July 28

Cato apparently caught wind that she was about to be arrested and bolted for the nearby women's bathroom. While in the bathroom, she first barricaded herself inside and then managed to dislodge a ceiling tile.

She started climbing across the scaffolding holding the tiles in place.

Her effort to escape caused a significant commotion at the courthouse as deputies rushed to the second floor, witnesses said.

Deputies used a ladder to get her down from the scaffolding. The incident occurred in a public area of the courthouse, not in a secure area.

Cato was supposed to be sentenced Thursday, July 28 before Kent County Circuit Court Judge Mark Trusock on a charge of possession of less than 25 grams of morphine.

She also was on probation for an earlier offense of larceny by conversion.

Police said the bench warrants were for contempt of court and a probation violation.