UIHC tells counties not to leave inmates unguarded

IOWA CITY (AP) - The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is telling county sheriffs to guard prisoners while they receive medical treatment after an inmate walked out last month and went on a crime spree, a top administrator said Friday.

Jean Robillard, UI's vice president for medical affairs, said hospital officials were making clear they are in the business of treating patients, not guarding potentially dangerous inmates. Counties will be instructed to guard inmates who are sent to UIHC for treatment, he said, the same process the Iowa Department of Corrections follows when it sends state prisoners to the hospital for care.

"We are working with every county to make sure they understand the process," Robillard said in an interview in his office. "Don't leave prisoners here without adequate support and adequate guards to protect them. We are not going to put our people at risk by being responsible for taking care of prisoners who may be violent. .We don't want to be placed in a position where a prisoner that doesn't want treatment can just walk out."

Robillard said that's precisely what happened last month, when inmate Anthony Koehlhoeffer "just left" the hospital after Jefferson County deputies dropped him off for court-ordered treatment. Authorities say Koehlhoeffer, who was facing armed robbery charges and had a history of running from authorities, went on an 18-hour crime spree that put the residents of eastern Iowa on edge.

Police say Koehlhoeffer assaulted a female University of Iowa student and stole her car, carjacked and crashed another vehicle hours later, and then forced a woman to drive him from Iowa City to Bettendorf. He was arrested there hours later after he stole an SUV, led police on a brief chase and crashed. The 20-year-old is facing a string of charges stemming from the escape, which he carried out for the first several hours wearing his hospital gown and sandals.

Afterward, Jefferson County authorities and the hospital each blamed the other party for allowing his release. County officials said they believed the hospital had custody of Koehlhoeffer and they released a document signed by a hospital staff member to back up their claim. UI officials said the hospital is not a custodial agency and jails need to leave guards with inmates if they feel they need supervision.

UI spokesman Tom Moore said the document released by the county only acknowledged the hospital's obligation to notify law enforcement once it was preparing to discharge Koehlhoeffer, which never happened. Robillard said the hospital "absolutely" handled the case appropriately.

"Like any patient, when they decide to leave, we get out of the way," he said.

Jefferson County Attorney Timothy W. Dille praised the hospital for trying to improve communication with counties "so we're all on the same page and know what we're doing." But he said requiring counties to leave guards with inmates will create additional expenses and staffing challenges.

"We have eight deputies in this county. That's going to pull one of the deputies off the road or it's going to take somebody out of the jail," he said. "It can be worked out but it will create a hardship."

- By RYAN J. FOLEY, Associated Press