Police yesterday caught up with a wily Queens man who walked away from court after tricking authorities into believing he had been released without bail, cops said.
Christopher Howard was first busted on Wednesday – as a passenger in a stolen car crammed with bags of heroin and cocaine, investigators said.
Howard was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and drug possession.
But cops said that when he appeared in court that night, Howard stepped forward when the judge announced the arraignment of another man charged with driving with a suspended license.
Officers then let Howard, 20, go, thinking, the judge had released him without bail. By the time cops discovered the slip-up, Howard was gone – allegedly becoming the 34th prisoner this year to escape from custody.
Police said he then went on a mini crime spree.
He stole a car Wednesday night in Flushing, and then shoved a 58-year-old woman to the ground Thursday morning near Mount Hebron Cemetery and drove off in her Chevy Malibu, cops said.
Police finally tracked Howard down yesterday.
Authorities said he was in custody, and this time would be made to face the proper charges.
Howard was being charged immediately with the drug and automobile charges from the Wednesday arrest. Authorities said other charges would follow.