A Vicksburg man was held in Issaquena County Jail Saturday after he shattered the front doors to the Vicksburg Police Department Wednesday when he tried to escape custody after an appearance in city court.

Both doors and the alert police officer that stopped him from escaping before he got away are now in working condition, Deputy Police Chief Bobby Stewart said.

Dexter Smith, 26, 104 Azalea Lane, was before Judge Toni Terrett the morning of the attempted escape to update his status in the city’s community service program when he fled the courtroom and bolted for the door, Stewart said. Officer Robert Starks, who was assisting in court, tackled Smith as he reached the front door, sending both men flying through the glass doors. Glass shards from the impact littered the threshold between the lobby and the area in front of the building. Glass was replaced and doors were re-aligned later in the day.

Smith was treated and released at Merit Health River Region for cuts to his hands and arms, while Starks was not injured, Stewart said.

Smith had been arrested in December on misdemeanor DUI/reckless driving and no driver’s license charges, to which he was sentenced to community service in the first place, Stewart said. The program allows misdemeanor offenders to work off their fines by picking up roadside trash, emptying recycling bins in the city and completing other assigned duties.

Those charges were upgraded to malicious mischief for destruction of city property and attempted escape. Smith now must post $1,406.37 in full to be released from jail, Stewart said — a 350 percent increase from what he owed in fines before he tried to run from custody.