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Police Find Escaped, Dangerous Convict In Maryland Drinking Puddle Water To Survive

Photo credit: Howard County Police.

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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Police have finally found the escaped and dangerous convict David Watson in Maryland after a six-day manhunt.

Howard County Police discovered Watson surviving off of puddle water and food from trash cans Wednesday evening about a half a mile from a hospital parking lot where he had originally escaped, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Police were transporting Watson to the maximum security Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center when he managed to escape Friday from the hands of  Wicomico County Detention Center guards. Watson was on his way to the forensic psychiatric hospital for an evaluation.

Police don’t think Watson planned the escape, but rather believe it was spontaneous.

“Yesterday was a major breakthrough for us,” Howard County Police Chief Gary L. Gardner told reporters Thursday morning.

According to Gardner, Watson traveled in various directions up to a mile away from the hospital, a fact established by Watson’s own footprints, as well as bloodhound dogs tracking him.

“He had been covering an area anywhere from one to two miles in either direction from the actual site from where the escape occurred,” Gardner added.

When police finally found Watson in a drainage pipe Wednesday, he cooperated with authorities immediately. Police subsequently charged Watson with escape and assault. Once paperwork processing is over, authorities will ship Watson off to a maximum-security prison in Delaware. Watson is already serving a 106-year sentence in Delaware for attempted murder.

For Howard County, the news of Watson’s capture was a relief.

“We appreciate what our law enforcement has done to secure this person. It certainly was a challenge for them,” Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman said.

“They have not left any stone unturned,” Kittleman added. “They never stopped.”

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