ROGERS CO. –
The Rogers County sheriff says changes are needed after deputies captured another patient who walked away from a mental health facility near Claremore.
Sheriff Scott Walton says deputies were called after Timothy Harrison left the Grand Horizons facility along Highway 88, north of Claremore. It happened just before Christmas.
“One of the patients gets confrontational with staff there, assaults staff, throws a weight through a glass window, crawls out through the glass window, severely cuts his arm, forgets to put his pants and shoes on and walks across Highway 88,” Walton said.
Deputies found Harrison in a yard across the street. Walton says Harrison was covered in blood, wearing only a T-shirt, and did not comply with commands.
Walton says Harrison was aggressive with deputies and bean bag rounds were used to take him into custody.
This is the second time deputies have had to capture a patient who walked away from the Grand Horizons facility. In October, deputies detained another patient walking along the Will Rogers Turnpike, prompting concerns from the sheriff and county leaders.
Walton says patients with violent histories are being housed in a facility they can leave on foot.
“These people with violent pasts—aggravated assault and battery on a police officer—are housed without restraints, transported without restraints, and they’re in a facility that they can walk away from,” Walton said.
After the earlier incident, Grand Mental Health told News On 6 the facility is intended for patients who need lower-level care and community reintegration and is not secured or locked down.
Walton says he supports providing mental health care but worries about safety.
“It’s dangerous to those people out there,” Walton said. “We enjoy a good quality of life in Rogers County. If it were across the street from where I live, I’d certainly lock my doors, watch my kids and make sure that one of the individuals out here with extreme violent tendencies is not bouncing around.”
Walton says he has offered suggestions to improve security and wants action taken to prevent future walkaways.
Grand Mental Health has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Harrison is being held in the Rogers County Jail and faces several charges, including assault and battery on a police officer.