An inmate who went on the run while on medical parole from Yilan Prison was arrested last night in Taipei’s Wenshan District (文山), the Yilan District Prosecutors’ Office and police said today.
The 35-year-old man, surnamed Huang (黃), was serving a one-year sentence for drug-related offenses.
A whistle-blower posted on social media that Huang had escaped, claiming that he had access to a vehicle and was a desperate fugitive with violent tendencies who posed a high risk to public safety.
Photo: Chiang Chih-hsiung, Taipei Times
Huang began his sentence at Yilan Prison in April last year and was released on medical parole on Oct. 7 due to illness.
He was seeking treatment at Taipei Medical University Hospital.
Huang failed to maintain regular contact and report to the prison as required during his parole, Yilan Prison said.
After the prison reported the case to higher authorities, the Agency of Corrections revoked his medical parole on Monday last week, it said.
The prison said it then contacted Huang by official letter and using Line requesting he return to prison to continue his sentence on Thursday last week, although he failed to appear.
Taipei police this morning said the fugitive had been apprehended last night while driving a stolen vehicle that he claimed was borrowed from a friend that he forgot to return.
Huang voluntarily handed over 1g of amphetamines and drug paraphernalia, police said, adding that a rapid saliva drug test came back positive.
Police said they immediately arrested Huang and reported him to the prison and prosecutors.
Additional reporting by Cheng Ching-yi and Kayleigh Madjar
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