PORTSMOUTH, Ohio. Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman is asking residents for help locating a 31-year-old man who escaped from an ambulance earlier today while being transported to the hospital from the Scioto County Jail.
Jeremy Copas had been in custody on a bench warrant for failure to appear on a misdemeanor criminal trespassing charge. While in jail he requested medical attention and then appeared unresponsive. An ambulance was sent to the facility. A judge granted Copas a conditional release so he could receive treatment and return to jail afterward. These releases are typically used for nonviolent, low-level offenders to reduce unnecessary medical costs for taxpayers.
During the transport near the intersection of Waller Street and 16th Street in Portsmouth, Copas jumped from the ambulance and fled on foot. Deputies immediately searched the surrounding area but have not located him. Copas remains at large. His last known address is 1809 Apartment H on 17th Street in the Wayne Hills area of Portsmouth. He was born January 4, 1995.
Sheriff Thoroughman urged anyone who sees Copas not to approach him. If you spot him or have information about his whereabouts, call 911 right away. Anonymous tips are welcome. The Scioto County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances of the escape.
