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By Miriam Raftery
April 5, 2022 (La Mesa) – A prisoner who had a medical emergency during an appearance at the El Cajon Courthouse yesterday was taken by ambulance to Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa. He escaped from the hospital at 6:30 p.m., prompting a helicopter search, and was found in a creek near the trolley tracks a half hour later.
Javier Perez, 26, had been arrested by San Diego Police on March 29 on charges including child endangerment and felony possession of a firearm. While at the hospital after his court hearing April 4, he asked to use the restroom. Perez then ran from the Sheriff’s deputy who was guarding him, according to the Sheriff’s media release.
The deputy ran after Perez, who jumped from a second-story parking garage adjacent to the hospital and fled off the hospital grounds.
The Sheriff's ASTREA (helicopter) and the La Mesa Police Department were called in to help search for Perez. Residents reported hearing an announcement from the helicopter advising that a search was underway for a person in “jail clothes.”
After being apprehended, Perez complained of pain and was transported to the U.C. San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest for treatment.
He is now facing new charges related to his escape.
Media was unable to learn of this public safety threat in real time, due to San Diego County’s Sheriff moving all scanner traffic onto secure channels as of January 1. A bill in the Legislature, SB 1000, would require law enforcement to make all communications available to the press and public over scanners, except for privacy details.
SB 1000 is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday, April 12 at 9 a.m. before the Senate Public Safety Committee. Support letters can be submitted via https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/. You can watch the hearing at https://www.senate.ca.gov/calendar.
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