Man escapes from ambulance to avoid psychiatric evaluation

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TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – A 27-year-old man from Beacon jumped out of an ambulance at the hospital on Wednesday, triggering a multi-agency police search.  The man had been transported to MidHudson Regional Hospital by the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

 

On Wednesday afternoon at approximately 4 p.m. A Town of Poughkeepsie police dispatcher radioed a “BOLO” (Be On the Look Out) to officers for a 27-year-old man that had jumped from the back of the BVAC ambulance in the vicinity of the hospital.  

 

The dispatcher advised officers to respond to the area of the hospital to look for a man who earlier in the day had jumped from the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge and was being transported to the hospital.  The dispatcher provided the subject’s name and provided a description.  The man was described as “A white male, wearing a blue hoodie with yellow writing on it, with shorts on, 5’10”, 27 years of age.”

 

The town and city police departments responded to the area.  A town officer radioed in that he was observing the subject walking in the area of Delafield and Whinfield Streets in the city.

 

It was determined that the man had voluntarily agreed to be transported from Beacon to MidHudson Region for a mental health evaluation.  Because there were no court orders mandating him to the hospital, the officers were only permitted to “suggest” that he return to the hospital.

 

There was no verifiable information that indicated that the man had actually jumped from a bridge earlier in the day.  First responders were at the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge earlier in the day for a man that had jumped into the Hudson River and subsequently died.  That story can be read HERE.

 

No additional information was available indicating that the man returned to the hospital.



Picture of Todd Bender

Todd Bender

Todd Bender started as a stringer before rising through the ranks to Dutchess County Bureau Chief. Bender is the senior investigative reporter for Mid Hudson News, focusing on crime and government. He is an avid angler and is likely to be organizing his collection of unused fishing lures while watching replays of council or board meetings and simultaneously complaining about the lack of time to go fishing.