Two inmates escape from prison near Olympia

LITTLEROCK, Wash. (AP) – One of the two prisoners who escaped from a minimum-security prison southwest of Olympia was serving time for manslaughter after accidentally shooting a good friend in the head.

King County Superior Court records say Sage Bear and his friend, Armin Okanovic, had been pointing what they thought was an unloaded handgun at each other in 2007 when the gun went off.

Prosecutors said Bear, who was 17 at the time, was involved in gangs and had previously been convicted of robbery, burglary and theft. He had been warned in court at least four times that he was not allowed to have guns.

Bear was sentenced to nearly 11 years for first-degree manslaughter.
 
The other prisoner who escaped was identified as Richard Harvell, who was serving 3½ years on a gun charge.
 
Corrections officials say two prisoners at the Cedar Creek Corrections Center escaped by climbing over a chain link fence topped with razor wire.
 
Washington Department of Corrections spokeswoman Pam Moore says 30-year-old Harvell and 26-year-old Bear escaped at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday, at dusk, and the prison started inmate escape procedures 20 minutes later.
 
Authorities warned people not to approach either but to call the prison or 911 if they see them.
 
The pair were discovered missing Center at about 10 p.m. Saturday, about 20 minutes after they escaped.

Bear, who was convicted in King County, had been serving his manslaughter sentence since early 2009. His anticipated release date had been in July 2018.
 
Harvell, who was convicted in Snohomish County, began serving his sentence in March. His tentative release date was in March 2019.
 
Both have tattoos above their left eyebrows.