Police: Man makes mad dash from Will County Courthouse after failing drug test

A man who was afraid of being jailed for failing a drug test ran out of the Will County Courthouse in Joliet but was caught at a parking garage, police said.

Patrick Conroyd, 42, told probation staff Tuesday that he was using cocaine, Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said.

Conroyd has addresses listed in Joliet and Beecher. He’s been in jail two times this year on felony identity theft and burglary charges.

Conroyd was ordered to submit to a drug test, and the results indicated that he used cocaine and fentanyl, Hoffmeyer said.

She said probation officers or social workers may have alerted Conroyd to the likelihood that he would be remanded, or taken back to jail.

“Upon stepping up in front of the judge to discuss his case, he was told he would be remanded. Before court security officers could place him in handcuffs, he fled from the courtroom, running west down the hall,” Hoffmeyer said.

Conroyd had left his phone and other personal items in the courtroom when he ran away, Hoffmeyer said.

Conroyd ran down the hallway on the fourth floor of the courthouse while Will County sheriff’s deputies chased him.

Conroyd left the floor using an emergency exit door, Hoffmeyer said. Court surveillance was able to track him exiting the building and provide a better description, she said.

Conroyd attempted to elude deputies around the Will County Court Annex building, formerly known as the Emco building, and a Joliet city parking garage, Hoffmeyer said.

“A deputy and court security officer were alerted to Conroyd’s presence in the parking garage by numerous construction workers working on the roadway,” Hoffmeyer said.

Conroyd was found lying on the ground and was taken into custody, Hoffmeyer said. He was taken back to the courtroom and admonished by a judge, Hoffmeyer said.

Charges for escape were approved immediately by the Will County State’s Attorney Office with further charges pending, she said.