Inmate caught!!!!

An inmate out on a work release program spent about half of Tuesday as a free man before being caught at a local motel by Gainesville police.

Lintalliser Ancil Chandler, 23, had been dropped off at his assigned job at Hardee's Restaurant, 2424 NW 43rd St., at about 7:30 a.m. but was reported missing at about 9:30 a.m., said Alachua County Sheriff's spokeswoman Linda White.

Chandler, an inmate from Santa Fe Correctional Center, apparently never went inside Hardee's, White said. Chandler had been serving time for armed robbery.

At about 6:45 p.m., Gainesville police Corp. Mary Birkhold received information from an official at Santa Fe Correctional Center that Chandler was at the Bambi Motel, 2119 SW 13th St., Gainesville police Sgt. Corey Dahlem said.

When Birkhold and several other police officers went to the motel, Chandler walked out of one of the rooms and was arrested at 7:13 p.m.

Chandler was charged with escape.

Officials from Santa Fe Correctional Center would not comment Tuesday evening on the mishap.