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Five inmates escape from Madera County jail

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Five Madera County jail inmates, including one charged with trying to kill a sheriff’s deputy, escaped from the facility Friday night and remained on the loose Saturday evening, authorities said.

Madera County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Erika Stewart said no one was injured in the escape, but it was not immediately clear how the five men managed to break out about 9:15 p.m. Friday.

“It was not a violent breakout, just a physical breach,” she said.

Three of the men, Abel Ramos, Juan Lopez and Ricardo Cendejas, were all being held on attempted murder charges as well as other violent felonies, according to a statement issued by the sheriff’s office.

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Stewart said Ramos had been charged with trying to kill a sheriff’s deputy in 2013.

The other escapees, Roel Soliz and Jorge Lopez-Diaz, were being held on burglary and robbery charges respectively, the sheriff’s office said.

Stewart would not say what, if any, relationship the five men had, or if they were connected to any local gangs. She also declined to comment on the search effort.

Four of the five suspects live in Madera, where the jail is located, according to Stewart. Soliz is from Chowchilla, she said.

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