PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Christopher Lee Pray, who escaped from Oregon State Hospital this week, was discovered stuck in mud near the Portland Expo Center on Friday, authorities said.
On Friday morning, Portland Fire and Rescue shared on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that a person had been stuck in mud in a Portland pond for over 12 hours and crews were attempting to rescue him.
Fire crews spent the next hour pulling him from the mud, authorities said. After he was out, he was cleaned and taken to the hospital, authorities said.
It was at the hospital that an employee recognized Pray, who police said had given a fake name.
Pray was taken back into custody, police said.
On Thursday, state authorities announced Pray, who they warned the public to be considered “extremely dangerous,” had escaped the custody of Oregon State Hospital and state police while shackled in a state van and was last seen heading south on Interstate 5.
Pray was originally in custody for attempted aggravated murder.
Oregon State Hospital said Pray, 39, had needed to be transferred to a local emergency department for medical care after an altercation with another state hospital patient. After returning to the state hospital around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Pray stole the van while fully restrained with leg shackles, a belly chain, handcuffs, and a restraint connecting it all together, according to authorities.