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Inmate overpowers guard, escapes from hospital

Healthcare Security Weekly, April 9, 2007

An inmate escaped from a Youngstown, OH hospital April 2 after he overpowered a prison guard and fled with his uniform and gun.

The 34-year-old prisoner had been brought to St. Elizabeth Health Center from the Northeast Ohio Correction Center in Youngstown after reportedly suffering two seizures in his cell and cutting his head, reported the Associated Press (AP). Police said the inmate fled on foot and then carjacked a vehicle outside the hospital. He drove halfway across Ohio to the Columbus area, allegedly robbing two banks in central Ohio and kicking down the door to a house in Hilliard, and holding a woman hostage. He surrendered peacefully after about two hours of negotiations with police. No one was seriously injured in the ordeal that stretched about 150 miles and lasted more than six hours, the AP reported.

The man was under observation in his hospital room when the situation began. Two hospital workers, the guard, and three other prison officials were held briefly in a hospital room during the escape. The prisoner ordered the guard to give up his pants, shirt, jacket, and cap. A hospital spokeswoman said authorities searched the hospital room-by-room looking for the prisoner for several hours.

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