MANHUNT NEAR DOWNTOWN

Homicide suspect bolts during hospital transfer

Toledoan recaptured 20 minutes later

3/31/2013

A Toledo slaying suspect became the subject of a manhunt for the second straight day on Saturday after he escaped while being escorted into a sheriff’s van, officials said.

Jonathon Johnson, 23, of 1657 Vance St. had just been discharged Saturday from Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center — where he was taken Friday complaining of illness after being booked into the Lucas County jail — when he got free from sheriff’s deputies who were taking him back to jail, said Kathy Valtin, Mercy St. Vincent spokesman.

Mr. Johnson, who has been charged with one count of aggravated murder for the death Oct. 5 of Jonathan Morris, Jr., 22, fled at 12:59 p.m., still handcuffed and wearing a brown jail jumpsuit, officials said.

City and Mercy police officers canvassed the area near Central Catholic High School before his recapture about 20 minutes later.

According to court documents, Mr. Johnson ran up a flight of stairs and forced open a porch door of a duplex in the 100 block of Palmer Street, about half-mile from the hospital.

He hid on the porch until he was found by a Toledo police lieutenant, court documents said.

Mr. Johnson, whose address was previously listed as 1659 Belmont Ave. and who already was scheduled for an appearance on Monday in Toledo Municipal Court on the murder charge, now faces a burglary charge as well.

He was back in the county jail Saturday afternoon.

His arrest Friday had followed a 30-minute search that began when he jumped from a second-story window at his mother’s house in the 800 block of Dorr Street.

The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force had gone to arrest him after the murder charge was filed Thursday in municipal court.

Friday’s manhunt ended when authorities found him hiding in a doghouse.

Mr. Morris was shot three times in a parking lot at the East Toledo Ravine Park Village. Two other men also are accused in Mr. Morris’ death.