How Did Minnesota Inmate Escape During Trash Duty?

A Minnesota inmate is back in jail after briefly escaping from custody yesterday. The inmate was awaiting trial on multiple charges, including charges of "Criminal Sexual Conduct – 1st Degree." The inmate was on trash duty at the time of the escape.

According to the Chisago County Sheriff's Office, the inmate made it roughly a mile from the jail before being captured.

On 04/10/2025, at approximately 1:30 AM, the Chisago County Emergency Communications Center began receiving information that an inmate escaped from custody. The inmate, identified as Donald Edmond Warner (46), fled from the jail while under supervision during a routine trash duty. A coordinated response was immediately launched involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Warner was located and taken into custody approximately one mile from the jail at 3:11 AM. He was apprehended without incident and has been returned to the facility.

Warner is currently awaiting trial on charges of Criminal Sexual Conduct – 1st Degree. Additional charges related to the escape are anticipated. The safety and security of our community remains our top priority, and we thank the public for their partnership and cooperation during this incident.

An internal review of the incident is underway to determine how the escape occurred and to ensure that preventative measures are being implemented to avoid future incidents.

The agencies listed below assisted during this incident:

Lakes Area Police Department, Wyoming Police Department, North Branch Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Isanti County Sheriff’s Office, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Forest Lake Police Department, Blaine Police Department, and the Coon Rapids Police Department.

Warner was in custody at the time for several charges, including Criminal Sexual Conduct-1st Degree-Penetration - Fear of Great Bodily Harm, stemming from an incident in May of 2010.

Warner was arrested for the incident in 2024 after geneology DNA mapping led to him being a suspect in the 2010 rape of a woman walking home around midnight.

Warner is now facing additional charges related to his escape from custody.

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Source: Minnesota Inmate Escapes From Jail While On ‘Trash Duty’