Jailed man faces additional escape charge

A 41-year-old man already imprisoned in the Bonner County Jail now faces an additional charge of escape after deputies allege he did not return from a medical furlough.

John Cross was medically furloughed to a family member Sept. 6 to refill a prescription, court records said. The furlough was supposed to begin at 8 a.m. and Cross was expected to return by 1 p.m. the same day. However, Cross allegedly did not return by the designated time.

When the family member was asked about what occurred after Cross was picked up, court records contend that they took Cross out to breakfast before they stopped at the bank. Cross then asked if he could be taken to Walmart, where he allegedly bought a cell phone that the family member was not aware of, according to court records. After that, the pair allegedly swung by the family member’s house so Cross could pick up the paperwork needed to refill his prescription.

“While at the residence, [Cross] told [the family member] he was going to say goodbye to his motorcycle, which was in the garage,” a deputy wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

After Cross had not returned for a while, the family member told deputies they went out to look for him, calling his name. At that point, the family member allegedly told deputies that they saw a white truck driving down the road at a high rate of speed. The family member said they assumed someone had picked Cross up to help him escape going back to jail.

Court records contend the family member claimed they had no knowledge of Cross’s plan to escape and were unsure of his whereabouts.

It is unclear how Cross came back to jail, but he was questioned by deputies upon his return. Cross allegedly told deputies he “left and didn’t come back” when asked about what happened, court records said. He allegedly refused to give details, stating it didn’t matter where he had gone. Eventually, Cross told deputies he had gone to Spokane but would not explain further.

Cross was then advised that he was being charged with escape.

“[Cross] told me he was not worried and it would get dropped,” a deputy wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

As deputies were still speaking with Cross, court records contend he began swearing at them.

“While completing [Cross’s] paperwork, [Cross] advised me that he believed it was funny that all I could get him for was escape,” a deputy wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

Cross was charged with one instance of escape and his bail for the incident was set at $250,000. His preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 13.