UPDATED: 9:20 P.M.
CULLMAN – Following several hours of searching by most all Cullman City and County law enforcement agencies, Hanceville Police Chief Bob Long announced that escapee Alex John Ganey has been apprehended at St. Vincent’s Hospital by Birmingham PD.
“He was trying to check himself into the psychiatric ward of St. Vincent’s when Birmingham Police Department was able to move in and make the arrest,” Long said.
Long said officers were able to locate Ganey from a cellphone ping near the hospital.
“His dad was talking with him and trying to get him to just turn himself in. He told his dad that he would check himself into the emergency room to seek out psychiatric help,” Long said. “We assumed he would come back to CRMC, not to Birmingham.”
The incident all began earlier in the day when Chief Long said Ganey was at CRMC earlier on Friday following an episode which was treated as a seizure while being transported from his home in Walker County.
“His mother had told officers he has seizures,” Chief Long said. “Once they were on the road it appeared he was having a seizure so the officers pulled over."
Long said paramedics were called to the scene and then Ganey was transported to CRMC. Once released from the hospital Chief Long said Ganey was able to elude officers after they left the hospital.
“He just bolted once they got outside,” he said.
Lindsey Dossey, CRMC Marketing & PR Director, stated, “He was brought to the ER for treatment, was treated and released. Upon leaving the hospital, the inmate escaped police custody. The hospital placed our maternity & pediatric units on precautionary lockdown until the inmate was apprehended.”
Ganey is currently in the Cullman County Detention Center on charges of Theft by Deception and Escape – 2nd Degree.
UPDATED 6:28 P.M.
CULLMAN – Hanceville Police Chief Bob Long said suspect Alex John Ganey, white male, 5’9”, 190 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes, is currently at large after escaping police custody while leaving Cullman Regional Medical Center on Friday.
Chief Long said Ganey was at CRMC following an episode which was treated as a seizure while being transported from his home in Walker County.
“His mother had told officers he has seizures,” Chief Long said. “Once they were on the road it appeared he was having a seizure so the officers pulled over."
Long said paramedics were called to the scene where Gamey was transported to CRMC.
“He was treated at the hospital and released,” he said.
Chief Long said Ganey was able to elude officers once they left the hospital.
“He just bolted once they got outside,” he said.
Long said Ganey was last seen wearing blue jeans, a green shirt and his left arm was in a black sling from “a previous operation just two days earlier.”
More information as details emerge.
Listen to the complete interview with HPD Police Chief Bob Long.
