GCSO detains two escapees in separate incidents
By Logan Bagett on Thursday, October 13th, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
GRANT COUNTY – (Press release from Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley)
On the afternoon of October 12th, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office was advised that an inmate from the Powder River Correctional Facility in Baker County that was assigned to a work crew in the area, had stolen a government vehicle.
Andrew Davis, 21, reportedly was working with a crew building fence in the Dans Creek area off of US 26 east of Prairie City. Davis allegedly went back to the vehicles for fencing material, and then left the area in a United States Forest Service pickup that was assigned to the Prairie Ranger District.
Davis was intercepted by Sheriff McKinley near mile post 173 on US 26 as he was headed west bound towards John Day. The traffic stop occurred near mile post 171, Indian Creek, where Davis was taken into custody without incident by Oregon State Police Recruit Trooper James and Deputy Komning. Sheriff McKinley and Grant County Emergency Manager Bush assisted at the scene.
Davis is being held at the Grant County Jail on charges of Escape II and Unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle pending his return to the prison in Baker.
As this incident was concluding, information was obtained that John Svitak, 22, from Baker City, and a recent escapee from the Juniper Ridge facility in John Day, had been sighted at the Seventh Street Park.
Svitak was located near the soft ball field and was taken into custody by Deputies. Svitak was transported to the Blue Mt. Hospital for evaluation.
Sheriff McKinley would like to thank the Dispatchers at the Grant County Emergency Communication Center and at the US Forest Service Dispatch in John Day for their timely and efficient work getting information relayed so that both of these incidents could come to a quick conclusion.
************************************
(Press release issued by the Oregon Dept. of Corrections)
Earlier today, Powder River Correctional Facility had an unauthorized departure by an adult in custody (AIC) on a work crew project for the US Forest Service (USFS) near Dixie Summit in Grant County, Oregon. Hal Andrew Davis, III left the area in a USFS vehicle that was left unattended with the keys in the ignition at approximately 1:20 pm. Davis was apprehended at 1:33 pm at Indian Creek by Oregon State Police. Davis is currently lodged in the Grant County jail in Canyon City.
Davis, 22, entered DOC custody on March 24, 2022, from Lane County on charges of coercion, unauthorized use of vehicle, and eluding a police officer. His earliest release date was April 17, 2024.
An emergency count was performed, and all AICs were present. The remaining AICs on the work crew were returned to PRCF without incident.
PRCF is a minimum-security prison in Baker City that houses approximately 316 adults in custody who are within five years of release. PRCF serves as a transition and re-entry facility and is focused on cognitive programming, work programs, and preparing for return to the community. PRCF is home to the 128-bed New Directions (Drug and Alcohol Treatment) Alternative Incarceration Program. Individuals who successfully complete this 180-day in-prison program are released to the community for a 90-day transitional leave period. Those who successfully complete the transitional leave period are granted a reduction in their sentence and move to post-prison supervision. PRCF opened in November 1989.
