Randall Saito reportedly escaped the Hawaii hospital Sunday and boarded a plane
STOCKTON, Calif. — A patient described as a “violent psychopath” who escaped Sunday from a Hawaii psychiatric hospital has been taken into custody in California after a manhunt, reports CBS San Francisco.
Randall Toshio Saito was arrested in Stockton Wednesday and is being taken to San Joaquin County jail, the station reports.
Honolulu police received a tip that Saito was on his way to a brother’s home in Stockton, said Honolulu CrimeStoppers Sgt. Chris Kim. That tip was forwarded to authorities there, Kim said.
Kim said he received word that Saito had been arrested Wednesday.
Saito was acquitted of a 1979 murder by reason of insanity and committed to the Hawaii State Hospital outside Honolulu in 1981. Sunday, he reportedly took a taxi to a chartered plane in Honolulu bound for the island of Maui and then boarded another plane to San Jose, California, police said.
A staffer who didn’t want to be named told CBS affiliate KGMB-TV he didn’t know how Saito escaped, but said he was known for his manipulative behavior and suspected he had help.
It was not immediately clear under what circumstances Saito left the facility in Kaneohe. Sources tell the station it appears the escape was well-planned.
Hawaii State Hospital Administrator William May said officials are fully cooperating with law enforcement and appropriate steps would be taken if Saito had help from someone inside the facility.
Saito left the state hospital outside Honolulu on Sunday at 10 a.m. and didn’t return, police said. Hospital staff called 911 to report his disappearance shortly after 7:30 p.m. – two hours after he landed in San Jose, police said. An all-points bulletin was issued at 8:30 p.m.
Surveillance video in the cab show Saito had a backpack stuffed with items including a cell phone and portable charger, reports KGMB-TV. During the ride, Saito is seen texting on the phone, then rifling through the backpack.
Sources tell KGMB-TV Saito’s ticket to California was purchased online and that he had paid for both his cab ride and his charter flight in cash, using an assumed name. After boarding a charter plane to Maui, he took a Hawaiian Airlines flight to San Jose, the station reports.
Late Tuesday night, the Hawaii Attorney General’s office charged Saito with felony escape and issued a $500,000 bench warrant for his arrest. Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin said officers in all 50 states may enforce the arrest warrant.
