Update: Escaped St. Charles psychiatric patient returns to hospital, is arrested and jailed

(Update: Albritton arrested at hospital, taken to jail)

Judge issued civil commitment; escape from secure facility 'very rare,' police say

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A man who escaped from the psychiatric unit at St. Charles Bend on Monday morning returned to the hospital late Monday night and was taken into custody by police, who took him to the Deschutes County Jail.

St. Charles staff called 911 around 11:20 p.m. to report that Jeremy Owen Allbritton, 41, had arrived at the hospital. Police responded and with help from sheriff’s deputies, he was taken into custody about 10 minutes later.

Allbritton was booked into the jail on charges of coercion, menacing, fourth-degree assault and harassment, as well as two Deschutes County warrants, a California warrant and a violation of his release agreement, officers said.

Police had issued a public alert after Allbritton escaped Monday morning, warning of the “very dangerous” individual, who recently assaulted hospital staff.

County 911 dispatchers got a call around 8:30 a.m. that Allbritton, a Central Oregon resident, had escaped from the unit, Sergeant Tommy Russell said.

Along with facing recent charges, Allbritton had warrants out for his arrest in Oregon and California.

Allbritton was not armed at the time he left the hospital, the sergeant said.

Last week, Allbritton went before a judge who deemed him “mentally defective” and civilly committed him for treatment. He was taken to St. Charles by police, who fill out a hospital form that requires them to notify law enforcement before any release plans, so they can be taken to jail on pending charges, Russell told NewsChannel 21.

“It’s supposed to be a secure facility, so this is very rare,” Russell said. “He is extremely dangerous, and was deemed by a judge to be mentally unfit to be in society.”

Allbritton had last been seen in the area of Northeast Courtney Drive around 8:45 a.m. By that time, he had taken off his reddish-pink hospital scrub short-sleeved top but was still wearing his green hospital scrub bottoms, and was not wearing shoes, Russell said.

The hospital was placed in lockout from 9:08 to 10:15 a.m., meaning exterior doors were locked. The lockout was lifted because “we feel it’s unlikely he’ll return to the hospital,” said Public Information Officer Lisa Goodman. Area residents also were sent an alert through the Deschutes County alert system.

Allbritton is about 6 feet tall and 220 pounds, and has very short or shaved brown hair. He also has numerous tattoos.

Police had asked the community to report any sightings or interactions with Allbritton – and warned not to approach him, but call 911 to report his whereabouts. Anyone who has had contact with him Monday was asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 with that information.

Court records show Allbritton, listed as a Prineville resident, was indicted earlier this month on two counts of felon in possession of a firearm and resisting arrest. He was due in court a week ago and failed to appear, resulting in a warrant. Russell said the Prineville address may have been self-reported and that he also frequents Redmond, goes to Bend and has "ties to all over Central Oregon."

He was indicted last month in Jackson County on fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and second-degree criminal mischief charges, accused of injuring a woman and damaging her vehicle. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and assaulting a police officer.