Colorado Springs police have arrested a convicted child molester who left the El Paso County courthouse Tuesday while jurors were deliberating and never returned.

Theodore “Theo” William Griffin III, 23, was followed in a car that left from a home he was known to frequent, police said Wednesday night. Police established probable cause to pull the car over and Griffin was arrested.

Tuesday, Griffin left the courthouse while the jury was deciding to convict him of three counts of sexual assault on a child, as well as a misdemeanor traffic offense and obstruction of a police officer, Colorado Springs police said Wednesday.

Griffin made suicidal comments when he was contacted on the phone by his attorney Tuesday afternoon.

Griffin’s trial began on Monday before 4th Judicial District Judge Deborah Grohs.

During the trial, Colorado Springs Police Detective Fred Walker testified that Griffin allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old girl six times between mid-October to Christmas 2007.

Walker said the girl was able to pick Griffin out of a photo line-up in about five seconds.

When Walker arrested Griffin at his father’s home, the detective quoted the suspect as saying “I don’t do no underage (expletive deleted).”

Later, however, Walker said Griffin admitted having sexual intercourse with the girl once. However, he said his condom broke and that he never had sex with her again after that.

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Gazette writer John C. Ensslin contributed to this report.

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