Inmate rams transport van through garage door in escape attempt

A shackled inmate has made a dash for freedom while waiting to face a US court after he stole a van and blasted it through a garage door.

Surveillance video shows the inmate, reported in local media as Donald Knisley, hide from officers when being transported to the Montgomery Country Municipal Court Facility in Huber Heights, Ohio on Friday.

Knisley is shown alone in the garage with the van when he hopped into the van and found the keys inside.

He wasted no time and put the audacious escape plan into action.

The prisoner rammed the van through a closed garage door to break free.

The van was found crashed into trees about 800 metres from the police department, WKEF reports.

Knisley fled the scene but was caught soon after and will face additional charges for the escape attempt.