A furloughed inmate who walked away from Erie, Pa.-based UPMC Hamot on Dec. 9 while receiving medical treatment at the facility is facing charges after police said he fled Erie in a car he stole from a hospital employee, the Erie Times-News reported Dec. 14.
Alex Rabold, 31, an inmate at Mercer County (Pa.) Prison, who was granted furlough Dec. 8 to receive care at the hospital, stole a 2014 Nissan Altima that was reported missing Dec. 9, police said, according to the Times-News. On Dec. 9, a UPMC Hamot employee — working on the same floor where Mr. Rabold had been treated — initially reported that their car keys were missing from a break room, police said, according to the newspaper. The Nissan Altima was then discovered to be missing and was located, unoccupied, hours later in Sharon, Pa.
Police said they linked Mr. Rabold to the theft through surveillance video, and a hospital gown was found in the Altima, according to the TImes-News.
Erie Police Chief Dan Spizarny confirmed to Becker's that Mr. Rabold was charged with third-degree felony counts of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property and with a summary count of driving under suspension. He also faces a felony count of escape for allegedly walking away from UPMC Hamot on Dec. 9.
Mr. Rabold was granted furlough that allowed him to visit the hospital without the supervision of prison or hospital security, but required him to return to custody immediately after his treatment.
"UPMC has neither the jurisdiction, responsibility nor capability to detain patients on behalf of law enforcement agencies," spokesperson Rick Pietzak said in a statement shared with Becker's.
"Prisoners in custody of the arresting law enforcement agencies remain their responsibility for the duration of the arrest and detention process and at no time can that responsibility be transferred to UPMC. It has been a longstanding UPMC policy as well as an industry standard that an arresting agency remain with their prisoner during medical treatment in order to ensure these patients do not escape or pose a risk to other patients."
Mr. Pietzak also clarified that people do not "escape" from the hospital, and an "individual who is not in the custody of law enforcement may leave the hospital against medical advice or at their own discretion."
Mr. Rabold turned himself in on Dec. 11 after a bench warrant was issued, Mercer County Jail Warden Mac McDuffie said, according to the newspaper.
Read the full Times-News report here.