A man wanted on multiple felonies is back on the run after slipping out of an Indiana hospital where police had taken him for treatment, authorities say. Alton West III had just been captured following a chaotic foot chase near the Illinois-Indiana state line when he pulled his own medical equipment off and walked out of the facility, leaving investigators searching for him once again.
Traffic Stop Turns Into Foot Chase Near State Line
The ordeal began when Griffith police attempted to stop a vehicle West was driving, according to NBC 5 Chicago. West tried to flee the stop, but his car broke down near the Illinois-Indiana state line, forcing him out on foot. Officers chased him down, and during the struggle to take him into custody, West grabbed an officer's Taser before police managed to subdue him.
Once in custody, police transported West to an area hospital for treatment and observation, the outlet reports. It was there, while still under police watch, that West removed his medical equipment and simply fled the hospital, according to the same report.
Suspect Remains At Large, Police Urge Caution
West remains at large, and police have released a photo of him in hopes the public can help locate him, per the report. Anyone who spots him is asked to call 911 immediately rather than approach him directly, authorities say.
The case echoes another recent Griffith policing story — wanted sex offender nabbed in cellphone stop — in which a routine stop in late October turned up a registered sex offender wanted on active warrants in two counties. Together, the cases underscore how often small-town traffic stops in Griffith have recently unearthed people already wanted by the law.
No details have been released on the specific felony charges West faces, nor on which hospital he escaped from or exactly when the escape occurred, according to NBC Chicago. Police have not issued an updated statement since reporting that he remains at large.
