Cellphone video shows an inmate hanging out of the back window of a state prison transport van moving at freeway speeds in Oklahoma City last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Sept. 2 incident was recorded by Tiggin Martin, who said she spotted other video of the incident on social media. The incident took place on Interstate 40, a nearly coast-to-coast highway that runs through the heart of Oklahoma City, Martin’s video, verified by NBC News, shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the video, the inmate, partially covered by an orange jumpsuit, faces traffic behind him and gestures to motorists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rear window appears to have been removed or broken out, and the vehicle’s brake lights can be seen as it moves onto the shoulder of the roadway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Martin told NBC affiliate KFOR of Oklahoma City that she was recording the video as her sister was driving on the interstate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Oh, my God,” both women say on accompanying audio, with some profanity thrown in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They express concern the man might try to jump from the vehicle. One of the two then says, “Don’t you f—— do it, bro.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sisters thought they were witnessing some sort of joke, Martin told the station, adding that the incident went by fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It only lasted for about a minute or two until they pulled off the highway,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Driver and sister Alexis Martin said she began to worry the man would end up on the hood of her vehicle or that it might strike him if he jumped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You\u2019re driving, you\u2019re trying to pay attention to what you\u2019re doing, but you\u2019re kind of like, ‘What is this guy doing?’\u201d Alexis Martin told KFOR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The state Corrections Department said the van was in the middle of a “routine transport” when the inmate damaged it and then started hanging out of a back window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Our officers immediately recognized the situation, exited the highway and called for additional law enforcement support,” the department said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man was “secured” and his trip was completed without further incident, it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spokesperson for the department said it did not plan to release the inmate’s identity. It was not clear whether the matter was under investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The department said in its statement that it “remains committed to transparency, accountability and ensuring the safety of all individuals in our care and all Oklahomans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n