Psych patient takes deputy’s vehicle on joy ride

Crisp Regional's release of patient puts Crisp & Dooly deputies on alert

CORDELE, GA- A Crisp County deputy assigned to Crisp Regional Hospital for security says a recently released psych patient took off in their patrol unit.

According to Crisp Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Haley Little, the deputy was attempting to take the released patient home from the hospital Monday when the incident happened.

The unnamed deputy reported the vehicle was last seen traveling north on Highway 41 towards Dooly County, where another deputy spotted the vehicle minutes later. The vehicle then reportedly changed it’s direction of travel and was heading back south on Highway 41 at roughly 20mph.

At approximately 8:00pm,  the subject was detained without incident and taken back to Crisp Regional Hospital to verify the discharge. The patient was then released pending investigation and transported home.

The deputy reportedly found no weapons in the vehicle, no damage to property and no injuries from this incident.

“I appreciate the fast response from our neighbors at Dooly County Sheriff’s Office. Thanks to their help, we
were able to safely detain the patient and get the patrol unit back without damage,” stated Sheriff Billy
Hancock.
#