Inmate escapes during transfer in Great Falls

Inmate escapes during transfer in Great Falls

GREAT FALLS (AP) — A registered violent offender with a previous escape on his record slipped past authorities again on Wednesday as he was being transported from a drug treatment center to the state penitentiary.

Havaii Akane, 32, was brought from the Nexus methamphetamine treatment center in Lewistown to Great Falls, where he was to be transferred to a vehicle that would take him to Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

He was unshackled when he was taken off a vehicle at the Great Falls Prerelease Center and escaped from two transport staff, the Department of Corrections said.

Akane was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a 1997 truck stop robbery in Missoula, and another three years were added after he tried to escape from prison in 1998 by running a vehicle into a fence, corrections officials said.

Akane was released from prison in 2005 to the Great Falls Prerelease Center, but was returned to prison in 2006 for violating the center's rules.

He was released from prison later in 2006, but his probation was revoked in June for unauthorized travel and illegal drug use, officials said.

Akane arrived at the meth treatment center on June 23 and was being transported to prison Wednesday for a disciplinary violation at the center, the corrections department said.

He is 5 feet, 7 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities, who believe he changed out of the orange clothing he was wearing, and said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Great Falls police said a motorcycle was missing from Akane's last known residence in Great Falls, but was later found abandoned.

GREAT FALLS (AP) — A registered violent offender with a previous escape on his record slipped past authorities again on Wednesday as he was being transported from a drug treatment center to the state penitentiary.

Havaii Akane, 32, was brought from the Nexus methamphetamine treatment center in Lewistown to Great Falls, where he was to be transferred to a vehicle that would take him to Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

He was unshackled when he was taken off a vehicle at the Great Falls Prerelease Center and escaped from two transport staff, the Department of Corrections said.

Akane was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a 1997 truck stop robbery in Missoula, and another three years were added after he tried to escape from prison in 1998 by running a vehicle into a fence, corrections officials said.

Akane was released from prison in 2005 to the Great Falls Prerelease Center, but was returned to prison in 2006 for violating the center's rules.

He was released from prison later in 2006, but his probation was revoked in June for unauthorized travel and illegal drug use, officials said.

Akane arrived at the meth treatment center on June 23 and was being transported to prison Wednesday for a disciplinary violation at the center, the corrections department said.

He is 5 feet, 7 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities, who believe he changed out of the orange clothing he was wearing, and said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Great Falls police said a motorcycle was missing from Akane's last known residence in Great Falls, but was later found abandoned.