Inmate escapes treatment facility van; Told driver he needed to use the restroom
Published 11:24 am Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Law enforcement is looking for an inmate who escaped from a treatment facility van on Monday morning.
According to Mower County Chief Deputy Mark May, Matthew Paul Armatis, 37, of Austin was serving a 90-day jail sentence for gross misdemeanor DWI-operate motor vehicle under the influence of any amount of schedule I/II drugs-not marijuana when he was court ordered to the Oakridge Treatment Center in Rochester.
Matthew Paul Armatis, 37
The center picked Armatis up from the Mower County Jail on Monday morning and was transporting him in a van when he told the driver he had to use the restroom.
The driver stopped the van at about 9:30 a.m. at Ankeny’s No. 1 on Oakland Place Southeast to allow Armatis to use the restroom. Armatis was not restrained and the driver did not escort him to the restroom.
May said the driver became suspicious after awhile and inquired where Armatis was from the store clerk, who told him Armatis had left the store.
Law enforcement was unable to locate Armatis.
Because Armatis was released from the custody of the Mower County Sheriff’s Office, May said he is facing a charge for violating his probation.
Anyone with information on Armatis’ location is urged to call the Mower County Law Enforcement Center at 507-437-9400. Calls can be made anonymously.
