Search in hands of DOC team

Rowynn Ricks

May 07, 2008 08:19 am

— While remaining on alert, local authorities have scaled back their search for an inmate who escaped from William S. Key Correctional Center last Thursday morning.
Kirk A. Hazlett, 32, who was serving time at William S. Key Correctional Center for domestic abuse and injury to a public building, “just kind of walked off” sometime between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Thursday, said Linda Eike, public information officer for W. S. Key.
Officials from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections at W. S. Key have pulled their Correctional Emergency Response Teams from the fields and turned the search over to the DOC fugitive apprehension team, which is normal procedure once a search goes beyond 72 hours, Eike said.
The Woodward County Sheriff’s Office also stopped its continuous search efforts over the weekend, Acting Sheriff Don Bradley said. The sheriff’s office is now operating on a sighting-based strategy, he said, noting his men will hold off their search until they receive a report of a possible sighting or any unusual activity.
This is only one of a few times that W. S. Key has had an inmate at large for more than one day, Eike said.
Shortly after the facility opened in 1988, an inmate escaped and was missing for three years until his remains were found in a field not very far from the facility, she said.
However, Eike said most of W. S. Key’s escapees have been eventually recaptured, usually the same day they escaped.
But a few years ago, one inmate was loose for three days before being located and arrested in Arkansas, Eike said.
In that case, though, the inmate had stolen a vehicle, she said, so the authorities had some idea how to locate him.
Authorities are facing a different situation now, said Don Bradley.
“It’s still kind of strange,” he said. “Because we’ve had no reports of a stolen vehicle or a house being burglarized.”
Because no vehicles have been stolen in the area, Bradley said he and other law enforcement officials can’t be sure whether or not Hazlett is still in the area.
“I kind of think he’s left the area,” he said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if we got a call saying he’s on the river, either.”
“I don’t like the not knowing,” Bradley said, noting that he finds it “disturbing” to think of Hazlett remaining at large.
“I’d rather have the subject in custody,” he said.
But as long as Hazlett does remain at large, Bradley said the public should remain aware.
“Be on the lookout,” he said. “Look for anything out of the ordinary.”
Hazlett is a white male and is approximately 5’7” tall, weighing 150 pounds. He has long brown hair and hazel eyes.
His identifying marks include tattoos on the fingers of his left hand that spell out B-E-T-H, a tattoo of ripped skin on his left arm, and tattoos on both his shoulders.
He was last seen wearing a gray stocking cap, a gray sweatshirt, a gray state issue shirt, and green New Balance tennis shoes.
However, events on Friday have led law enforcement officials to believe Hazlett could be wearing a red and black flannel jacket and white work gloves to “try to fit in a little better,” Bradley said.
If you have any information or would like to report a possible sighting or any suspicious activity, contact local law enforcement or contact the Department of Corrections Fugitive Warrants Division at (405) 425-2570.