A Vicksburg woman on her way to incarceration broke away from court officers Thursday at the Warren County Courthouse, injured herself and was later found in possession of cocaine, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said.

Angela Andrews, 37, of 1102 Avenue D, was found guilty by a jury Sept. 18 of possession of cocaine. Pace said she had remained free on bond while awaiting a presentencing report from the Mississippi Department of Corrections ordered by the court. With that report completed, she was taken before Circuit Judge Frank Vollor to hear his decision.

“Ms. Andrews had just been sentenced by Judge Vollor to three years in the state penitentiary,” Pace said. As Andrews, in the company of her lawyer, was being escorted out the back door of the courthouse to the jail, she “broke away from the court services officer, jumped over a railing and landed on the driveway below,” Pace said.

Andrews, who was in handcuffs but not leg shackles, fell about 6 feet, Pace said. She was caught and taken to River Region Medical Center for treatment.

Pace said that as Andrews was being treated in the emergency room, “a small amount of crack cocaine fell out of her clothing.” Andrews was taken back to the county jail after receiving medical treatment. She is being held by corrections officers on her conviction and sentencing and will face a new charge of cocaine possession stemming from Thursday’s incident. That charge is expected to be filed today, Pace said.

“It was not clear if she was trying to harm herself or trying to run away,” he said. “No charges relating to that will be filed.”

Pace emphasized that Andrews would have been searched as she was taken into the jail and would have been found in possession of the drug before being incarcerated.