Section 309.18 | Victim to be notified of escape of violent offender; assistance from prosecuting attorneys.
(A) If a prosecuting attorney of a county receives notice from the sheriff of the county pursuant to section 341.011 of the Revised Code that a person indicted for or otherwise charged with an offense of violence that is a felony and that was committed in the county has escaped from the county jail or workhouse or otherwise has escaped from the custody of the sheriff or receives notice from a chief of police or other chief law enforcement officer of a municipal corporation pursuant to section 753.19 of the Revised Code that a person indicted for or otherwise charged with an offense of violence that is a felony and that was committed in the county has escaped from a jail or workhouse of that municipal corporation or otherwise has escaped from the custody of that municipal corporation, the prosecuting attorney shall notify each victim of an offense of violence that is a felony committed by that person of the person's escape and, if applicable, of the person's subsequent apprehension. The notice of escape shall be given as soon as possible after receipt of the notice from the department, sheriff, or chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation and shall be given by telephone or in person, except that, if a prosecuting attorney tries and fails to give the notice of escape by telephone at the victim's last known telephone number or tries and fails to give the notice of escape in person at the victim's last known address, the notice of escape shall be given to the victim at the victim's last known address by certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice of apprehension shall be given as soon as possible after the person is apprehended and shall be given in the same manner as is the notice of escape.
Any prosecuting attorney who fails to give any notice required by this division is immune from civil liability for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that might be incurred as a result of that failure to give notice.
(B) If a prosecuting attorney of a county receives notice from the department of rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.14 of the Revised Code or otherwise receives notice from the department that a person who was convicted of or pleaded guilty in that county to an offense of violence that is a felony has escaped from a correctional institution under the control of the department or otherwise has escaped from the custody of the department, and if the office of victim services of the department requests assistance from the prosecuting attorney in identifying and locating the victim of the offense, the prosecuting attorney promptly shall provide the information requested, if available, to the office of victim services.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 30, 2011 – House Bill 86 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 30, 2011 Version ]