In 1975 inmate Dale Remling attempted a daring escape from the prison by flying out of the prison in a helicopter. Morris Coloskey, a friend of Remling’s, paid helicopter pilot Richard Jackson to fly him from Plymouth to Lansing. Five minutes into the flight, he pulled a knife on the pilot and told him to change his course and head towards Jackson. They flew to the prison and landed in the yard where they picked up Remling. They then flew six miles (10 km) away to where two getaway cars were located. Once on the ground, Remling sprayed mace in the pilot’s eyes to disable him, but he still managed to fly the helicopter and follow one of the cars while radioing for help. The car was caught by police only a few minutes later. The original escapee got away but surrendered himself to authorities over the weekend at a bar just north of Jackson.