Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-478 — Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail; penalty

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 7: Escape of, Communications with and Deliveries to Prisoners, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-478

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-478Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session

If any person lawfully imprisoned in jail and not tried or sentenced on a criminal offense escapes from jail by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, or if any person lawfully in the custody of any law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 18.2-57 , on a charge of criminal offense escapes from such custody by force or violence, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Official sources

Official section text (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Legal terms used in this section

Law-enforcement officer

Questions this section answers

Is escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail is a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-478.

Which Virginia statute covers escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail?

Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-478 (Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail; penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.