Sheriff to Bill Gov. $12,000 for Escaped Patient Search

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The Spokane County sheriff will send the governor a bill for about $12,000 to cover the cost of searching for an escapee from Washington's largest state psychiatric hospital.

The Spokesman-Review reports that Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich will send the bill this week for costs incurred by people who searched for 28-year-old Anthony Garver.

Garver escaped April 6 from Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Washington, where he was being held after he was accused of torturing a 20-year-old woman to death in 2013.

He was captured April 8 in Spokane County.

Knezovich says it's right to ask for reimbursement because he says the state of Washington is at fault for the escape, not Spokane County citizens.

The sheriff says he's been told the governor will consider his request.