SHELTON, Wash. — Deputies with the Mason County Sheriff’s Department are searching for a man who they say escaped custody Tuesday morning.
Deputies said Donald F Hartwell Jr., a convicted felon, escaped custody around just after 11 a.m. during a pretrial hearing in Mason County District Court in Shelton.
Hartwell Jr., 38, is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 190 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
Officials said new procedure requires pretrial prisoners in Washington to be unrestrained in court.
According to deputies, Hartwell Jr. was in court on suspicion of second-degree theft, second-degree burglary and theft of a motor vehicle.
Anyone with information on Hartwell Jr.’s location is asked to call 911.
KIRO 7 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.