Subject under Order of Protective Custody attempts to escape during transport

A man under a mental health protective custody order escaped Tuesday afternoon while being transported from Marksville to an Alexandria hospital.

 The Avoyelles Sheriff's Office reported that Michael Gee, 21, of Tullos, was captured by deputies and detectives less than 30 minutes after he escaped from an APSO transport vehicle. He was charged with simple escape, simple criminal damage to property and resisting arrest and a police officer. As of Tuesday evening bond had not been set.

   The chain of events began around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when deputies responded to a call of a suspicious person at a home on La. Hwy 1192 in Blue Town. Gee, a current resident of the Hope Center in Marksville, was taken into custody around 11 a.m. An order of protective custody was secured through the Coroner's Office just before noon. Such orders are issued when a subject exhibits symptoms of serious mental illness and could be a danger to themselves or others.

He was ordered to be taken to the St. Frances Cabrini Emergency Room. Gee was handcuffed, shackled and placed in the rear of the vehicle.

While en route on La. Hwy 1, Gee "began kicking out the right rear glass of the transportation vehicle," an APSO spokesman said. The deputy slowed the vehicle in an attempt to calm Gee.  At that point, Gee kicked out the glass, and jumped from the moving vehicle in the Fifth Ward community.   At approximately 1 p.m., he was found -- still in handcuffs and shackles -- near Egg Bend Road and arrested without incident, the spokesman said. 

   Sheriff David Dauzat praised deputies for their prompt response and rapid apprehension of the subject.