Escaped Psychiatric Patient Killed Crossing Highway in Texas
Oct. 08--SAN ANTONIO -- A psychiatric patient who authorities said was running away from a nearby hospital died Tuesday when he was hit by multiple vehicles on Loop 1604.
The incident just before 10 a.m. near Redland Road left traffic backed up for hours as investigators shut down the North Side stretch of highway.
The victim was identified as David Hartley Jr., 29, according to the Bexar County medical examiner's office.
Hartley had had a seizure at the Laurel Ridge Treatment Center, police said.
An ambulance was called to take him to another medical facility, but he was not being compliant, police said. Authorities were able to get Hartley on a gurney, but before they could load him into the ambulance he ran toward the highway, said Officer Douglas Greene, a San Antonio Police Department spokesman.
As officers were trying to get Hartley off the highway and into custody, he crossed all westbound lanes unscathed, police said.
But in the eastbound lanes he was swiped by at least two cars, then by a truck that police believe delivered the fatal blow.
Staff Writer Drew Joseph contributed to this report.
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Twitter: @MDWilsonSA
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