Before Howard Watson, 32, got into a confrontation with Anchorage Police that sent him to the hospital with critical injuries Thursday, he was was already a wanted man.
In a Nixle alert sent out Monday, APD said he left the Glenwood Center halfway house with permission to go to work. He showed up at his job, but left his shift early and didn’t return to Glenwood Center.
A review of his criminal history on court view shows he pleaded guilty to an escape charge just two years ago in May of 2015.
People staying housed at Glenwood Center told KTVA there are many reasons why someone would choose to leave a halfway house, even though they know it’ll just add more time to their sentence. The main motivations being drug related or family issues. Some say they just want more freedom.
Despite his escape, the ongoing problem of inmates walking away from halfway houses seems to be getting better. Police say so far this year, they’ve had 16 reported walk-aways in Anchorage, while this time last year, there had already been 72.
Back in January, DOC Commissioner Dean Williams told KTVA the department is doing a better job of screening placements for halfway houses.
Even though the numbers of walkaways are down, APD still considers it a problem. Spokesperson Renee Oistad released this statement:
“Inmates escaping from halfway houses, or any correctional facility, is clearly a public safety issue. This morning’s incident highlights the many reasons this problem needs to be resolved. We are working closely with personnel from the Department of Corrections to find a solution that is amenable to both of our departments.”
Thursday, a Department of Corrections spokesperson declined to comment on the incident, citing an ongoing investigation.
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