PORTLAND, Ore. — An escaped inmate from a state hospital in Oregon was apprehended on Friday when he was found stuck in mud up to his armpits in a pond, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Oregon State Police, Christopher Lee Pray, 39, escaped from the Oregon State Hospital in Salem at about 10:45 p.m. PDT on Wednesday. Pray, who was described as “extremely dangerous,” was involved in an altercation with another patient and was taken to an emergency department for treatment, KPTV reported.
Pray had been held in the Multnomah County Jail in Portland to determine whether he was mentally fit to assist in his own defense against pending criminal charges, according to the Salem Reporter. One of the charges was attempted murder, the newspaper reported.
#BREAKING Dangerous escapee from Oregon State Hospital captured after getting stuck in mud for 12 hours: https://t.co/x0E1datE2G pic.twitter.com/Bsx0aRgBzx
— FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) September 1, 2023
State police said that Pray escaped from custody and stole a 2016 Dodge Caravan, driving south on Interstate 5, the news release stated. Law enforcement officials ended the chase due to safety concerns and Pray was not apprehended.
A spokesperson for the Salem Police Department said that officers threw down spike strips in an attempt to halt Pray’s flight, according to the Salem Reporter.
According to state police, at 8:17 a.m. PDT on Friday, Portland Fire & Rescue and the Portland Police Bureau received a report about a “potentially deceased person” in a pond located in Portland.
The person was still alive but stuck in mud up to his armpits, KPTV reported. Police said that the man was approximately 75 feet from shore, and authorities worked for approximately an hour to free him from the mud, according to the television station.
It was unclear how the man became stuck in the pond’s mud. He had been there for 12 hours, police said.
After being taken to an area hospital, Pray gave authorities a fake name, state police said. However, a hospital employee recognized Pray from a photograph, and the Portland Police Bureau responded and confirmed his identity. He was arrested and taken into custody.
In their news release, state police said they are investigating “the details surrounding” Pray’s escape and plan to release an additional statement on Tuesday.
