An inmate firefighter who had assisted in the recent Napa County disaster recovery efforts disappeared Saturday from a prison camp in Suisun City only to surrender Sunday to Vacaville police.
Rashad Taylor Vaca, 27, of Vacaville, was subsequently placed back into the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and transported to a correctional facility in Susanville.
Vaca was incarcerated in August 2010, serving a 12-year sentence for second-degree robbery with a firearm. An inmate firefighter at Sugar Pine Conservation Camp in Bella Vista, he was at the minimum security Delta Conservation Camp in Suisun as part of a strike team aiding in fire relief efforts in Napa County.
According to the CDCR, an 11 p.m. inmate count at the facility revealed that Vaca was not in his bunk. A search turned up no clues. It’s believed he was last seen during the 9 p.m. count.
CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety, CAL FIRE, the California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies were notified and assisted in the search.
Early the next day, Vaca apparently had a change of heart and walked back into custody as easily as he had walked out of it.
“Just before 4 a.m. Sunday he walks up to one of our officers in the front lot of the PD and turns himself in,” said Vacaville police Lt. Mark Donaldson on Monday.
Officers had been out looking for him, including at a last known address associated with him.
Set to parole in January 2020, Vaca will likely face more time behind bars.
His case will be referred to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
