Miracle or faking it? ‘Paralyzed’ prisoner walks out of Tacoma hospital
Jun 28, 2013, 10:42 AM | Updated: 11:22 am
Car theft suspect Justin Wetrich crashed a truck in Parkland during a chase with sheriff's deputies May 24. (Image courtesy Tacoma/Pierce County Crimestoppers)
(Image courtesy Tacoma/Pierce County Crimestoppers)
A prisoner apparently faked paralysis to escape from a Tacoma hospital.
The car theft suspect crashed a truck in Parkland during a chase with sheriff’s deputies May 24. Pierce County Sergeant Ed Troyer says he was taken to Tacoma General where doctors checked him for paralysis.
“Doctors did some simple tests, I’m sure they didn’t get too far into it medically and put him in the ICU to check it out and when we came back later to guard him, he was gone,” explained Troyer. “We don’t know if he was faking it or there was a miraculous recovery, but we suspect he was faking it.”
Justin Wetrich, 30, is now featured on the Tacoma/Pierce County Crimestoppers website.
“A lot of people go to the hospital that are committing crimes and we cannot guard all of them,” said Troyer. “Now, if it was a rapist or a murderer, absolutely, but if we had to guard everybody in this type of situation, we just don’t have the manpower.”
Troyer called Wetrich a prolific car thief. “This is a guy who’s a con artist, who’s run from police many times, has a long criminal background and he managed to work the system to get out. So we’re looking for him again.”
A warrant is active for the arrest of Wetrich on suspicion of vehicle theft and eluding police.
