DENHAM SPRINGS – The Denham Springs Police Department arrested a man who escaped from the back of a patrol car Thursday afternoon.

The search for Nicholas Allen began around 2 p.m.  According to the police department, officers were serving a warrant at America's Best Value Inn off of Range Avenue near the interstate when Allen was taken into custody. While officers were searching the hotel room, Allen kicked out the back window of the patrol car and ran into the woods.

The department says that officers located drugs and a gun with a scratched out serial number inside the hotel room. 

The search for Allen was called off around 4 p.m. as dogs that were tracking him lost his scent, police say. Later, Allen was arrested after he was seen back at the hotel where he was originally placed into custody.