Western State Hospital patient steals delivery truck, injures worker
Sep 13, 2021, 6:31 AM
A sign for Western State Hospital is shown in Lakewood, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
An investigation continues Monday into how a patient at Western State Hospital managed to steal a delivery truck.
The incident happened Sunday afternoon. Officials tell the Tacoma News Tribune that the patient got into the truck with the keys in it, drove through a gate, and then drove to Steilacoom High School.
A hospital worker was hurt in the process and was taken to the hospital. So far there are no updates on their condition.
The patient was taken into custody.
Lawmaker fed up with violence at Western State Hospital
Western State Hospital — the state’s largest psychiatric hospital — has had a troubled history with patient care. It lost its certification in 2018, along with millions of dollars in federal funding. The journey toward re-certification has been slow, with the hospital describing it as a “multi-year process.” One of the major issues to plague the facility in past years has been violent attacks on staff and patients.
The KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.
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