Sometimes to best thing to do when in an uncomfortable situation is to just turn around and head quickly to the nearest exit.

Other times, that strategy is highly inadvisable. For instance, as in the case of Edward Kernan, who, much to the chagrin of judicial workers and law enforcement officials, decided that the best way to deal with a contempt of court charge was to simply flee the courthouse.

Needless to say, that unsuccessful flight from the courthouse put him in even more hot water than he was in before.

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department reported that, on Monday, Aug. 28, at about 12:40 p.m., Kernan (pictured above) attempted to escape the Guilford County Courthouse at 201 S. Eugene St. in downtown Greensboro – but he was re-arrested by sheriff’s deputies before he managed to get far.

According to a Aug. 28 press release from the Sheriff’s Department, Kernan was appearing in court, ironically, for a “flee to elude” charge.

That law, known as the “Run and You’re Done Law” basically criminalizes eluding law enforcement when you’re aware that they’re trying to detain you.  It became law in North Carolina 12 years ago and it usually applies to motorists who don’t pull over when seeing police lights behind them.

At the Aug. 28 hearing, Kernan, was held in contempt by a District Court judge and he decided to make a run for it.  After getting out of the building, Kernan jumped off a raised staircase – which turned out to be yet another bad idea for Kernan that afternoon.

Though he sustained only minor injuries, sheriff’s deputies managed to arrest him after the jump.

Now, in addition to enduring his bumps and bruises, he will face a new set of  charges the next time he appears in court.

 Kernan was treated at a local hospital and is now being held in the Guilford County jail in downtown Greensboro under the contempt of court order.

Additional charges were pending as of Monday night.

Despite the fact that Kernan is behind bars, the Sheriff’s Department is still asking that anyone who has information regarding this incident, please contact the Guilford County Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000.

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