Prisoner with violent past escapes near North Battleford
May be headed to Saskatoon or Prince Albert, police say
A prisoner who may be unstable and has a violent past has escaped custody from a psychiatric prison facility near North Battleford, Sask., RCMP say.
According to the Mounties, Joseph Simon Peter Yaremko, 32, was picked up — around 9 p.m. CST Sunday — by someone in a waiting vehicle outside the facility and is on the loose. It was not immediately known how he was able to breach the secure facility.
He was last seen wearing black sweat pants and a white T-shirt. He also has a tattoo on his neck. Police said it is possible he was headed for Prince Albert or Saskatoon.
Police are asking anyone with information about the man's location, to contact their local police service.
Government officials also noted that a new policy relating to alerting the public about inmate escapes applied in this case. Those officials say the hospital was supposed to alert corrections officials as well as police following the escape, but did not. The government says it will clarify its policy for the future.