Jessup Fugitive Tried To Kill Police: Officials

JESSUP, MD — An inmate serving a 106-year sentence for trying to kill police officers has escaped en route to a state-run hospital for the criminally insane, the Howard County Police Department reported Friday.

David M. Watson, 28, was being transported to Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center for a mental evaluation related to his case involving the attempt to murder police officers in Wicomico County, authorities said.

UPDATE: Police Offer Up Reward For Fugitive, Pics Of His Tattoos

When the transport van from the Wicomico County Detention Center arrived at Perkins in the 8400 block of Dorsey Run Road, police said a guard opened the back door and Watson pushed the officer to the ground, then took off around 9:40 a.m.

Helicopter and K-9 teams from several police departments were searching the area around the facility in Jessup, and officials asked anyone who sees the escapee to call 911.

Watson was described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and 140 pounds.

As of 4 p.m., police said there had been no sightings of Watson, whose handcuffs and waist chain were left at the scene of the van. Two articles of his clothing were found in the woods, according to authorities.

The fugitive was wearing a white jumpsuit when he arrived at Perkins, WJZ reported. Watson allegedly has a tattoo that says "187," which is police code for homicide, on his forearm.

After escaping, he allegedly fled to a wooded area.

Deep Run Elementary in Elkridge went into a modified lockdown due to police activity in the vicinity, according to school officials. Before 3:30 p.m., authorities said the lockdown was lifted and dismissal would occur as planned, but staff would beef up presence on Old Waterloo Road and encourage walkers to go directly home.

Two middle schools and two additional elementary schools were placed on lockdowns and were dismissing as usual, according to WBAL.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department and Maryland State Police were assisting Howard County authorities with the search. Residents in some parts of Anne Arundel County received a call from the county alerting them and were urged to use caution.

Anyone who sees Watson should not approach him; people should call 911.

Watson had been serving time in Wicomico County in connection with the attempted murder of police officers, authorities said. For shooting into the homes of law enforcement, he was reportedly sentenced to 106 years in prison. The shootings occurred in December 2012, and he was found not competent to stand trial in December 2014.

At the time of his escape, he was on the way to Perkins, which is Maryland's forensic psychiatric hospital. Located on Dorsey Run Road in Jessup, Perkins is a maximum-security facility for those who have pleaded not criminally responsible to felony crimes or who may not be competent to stand trial. Perkins also accepts violent or aggressive patients from other state mental hospitals.

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Pictured, David Watson. Photo courtesy of the Howard County Police Department.