An escaped prisoner with 15 outstanding convictions for murder and robbery was captured in western Attica yesterday, after trying to run his car over motorcycle police who had been tailing him.

Yiannis Apostolopoulos, 35, a Gypsy known by the nickname “Ringo,” was shot in the leg in Skaramangas, around 1.20 p.m. He was hospitalized out of danger, as was one of the officers. Apostolopoulos escaped from Korydallos Prison in 1993 and is wanted for four murders, the attempted killing of four policemen during past efforts to arrest him and several armed robberies — all committed during his years on the run. He has been convicted, in absentia, for a total of 88 years.

According to police, when the convict realized he was being followed, he drove his car at the officers, knocking one off his bike. The felled officer then shot him.