Inmate firefighter escape

Authorities are searching for an escaped inmate who broke away from his fire crew Wednesday just west of the Coachella Valley.

Police say 43-year old Kent Lesporavsky walked away from his crew in the city of Highland.

Sheriff’s deputies are searching for him on the ground with K-9 units and aviation crews are helping from the air.

Lesporavsky is described as being 220 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen wearing his orange Department of Corrections jumpsuit.

Lesporavsky was convicted on theft and drug charges along with an assault on police.

The escape comes less than a month after state lawmakers did away with a plan to accept prisoners with violent backgrounds as inmate firefighters.

The idea was met with heavy backlash and concerns about public safety.

Officials had considered the plan because the number of inmate firefighters is down this year from years past.