Two Inmates Escape From DOC Firefighting Crew near Goldendale

In our years here at the radio station, we've not heard of this happening recently, if at all. Officials say it's not common.

Officials are searching near Goldendale, WA after two inmates who were part of a firefighting crew battling the Head Water Fire apparently escaped early Tuesday morning.

Officials say around 2:50am Tuesday morning, 22-year-old Maksim Konstantin Petrovskiy, and 30-year-old Tyray Hensley Munter walked way from the facility they were being housed in for the Department of Natural Resources-Department of Corrections work crew.

Petrovskiy, according to the Yakima Herald, was serving a 33-month sentence for auto theft, and was set to be released next December, while Munter was serving a six-year assault sentence, due to be released in 2020.

Officials say if anyone sees them, do not make contact with them, but call 911 immediately. Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public lands, said the DOC and DNR have had very good results with the inmate work crews battling fires over the years, and this is not a common occurrence. Law enforcement officials are searching the area for the two.

Officials say the crew was located just outside of Goldendale, which is about halfway down the Columbia River Gorge towards Portland, ten miles North of Biggs Junction, OR.