Inmate escapes from Olympic Corrections Center
By Paige Dickerson, Peninsula Daily News
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Michael D. Johnson, 22, of Vancouver, Wash., was in his living quarters at the minimum-security prison about 6 p.m. Saturday.
But he was nowhere to be found Sunday morning, a statement from the state Department of Corrections said.
"We think he could have gotten a ride out of here, but we are not sure," said Sgt. Jack Cornish at the prison about 25 miles south of Forks.
He said prison officials didn't know how Johnson was able to leave his living quarters or the premises.
Johnson had been at the prison since last Monday on drug violations and firearms possession convictions, according to court records.
Slender build
Johnson was described as 5-foot 4-inches tall and about 140 pounds with a slender build.
He was wearing Department of Corrections-issued clothing including khaki pants and a red sweatshirt.
Chad Lewis, spokesman for the Department of Corrections, said Johnson is considered dangerous, although he was sent to the minimum-security prison.
A specialized search team from the corrections center is searching him, Cornish said.
"Our intelligence points that he might have gone south, but at this point it is a guess," Cornish said.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Clallam County Sheriff's Department and Forks Police Department are also cooperating and on the lookout.
"The main thing that we will do is there are a lot of vacation cabins and such out that direction, which we will make sure haven't been broken into, and we'll check for stolen cars," said Jefferson Sheriff's Sgt. Ben Stanford.
350 inmates
Olympic Corrections Center, houses about 350 inmates and has a staff of 109, according to a Department of Corrections Web site.
It includes three living units, a laundry, warehouse, kitchen facilities, maintenance shop, wastewater treatment plant and water supply system in the center of a 120,000 acres of Department of Natural Resources trust land..
Cornish said if anyone spots someone who matches Johnson's description, they should first call 9-1-1 and then call the Olympic Corrections Center main line, 360-374-8334.
A photo of Johnson was not available Sunday because the records department of the Department of Corrections was closed.
Johnson's escape is the second in less than a week on the West End.
Gary Lowdermilk of Aberdeen escaped briefly from the Forks city jail last week, after using pillows under a blanket to convince guards he was in his bed in his cell.
He was found by a State Patrol trooper riding a bicycle away from town on U.S. Highway 101 about 3½ hours later.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: August 31. 2008 9:00PM