SEATTLE — A few months after a man was seen attacking a King County Metro bus with a machete, he’s now missing after King County prosecutors say he walked away from an in-custody treatment facility.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office says Daniel Couch escaped from Electronic Home Detention (EHD) over the weekend, and they’re now working with law enforcement to bring him back into custody. EHD is a court-ordered or pretrial alternative to jail that lets defendants serve time at home while wearing an electronic tracking device (such as a GPS ankle bracelet).
Seattle police say in July, Daniel Couch tried to board a bus near 4th Avenue South and Jackson Street, but the driver didn’t let him on because he recognized Couch from a previous machete incident.
Police say Couch can then be seen on video hitting the bus with a machete in multiple spots. He was charged with malicious mischief and sent to jail.
Couch has had 44 arrest warrants in the past 11 years.
A few weeks later, Couch was sent to the Sea Mar Turning Point Treatment Center in Seattle’s Central District, but was kicked out for a violation and sent back to King County Jail.
In September, they tried the treatment center again. He was also required to wear a GPS monitoring device.
Three days ago, King County Prosecutors say Sea Mar staff told Couch’s home monitoring officers he was “unfortunately discharged from treatment”. Documents say they wouldn’t give any more information past that.
Prosecutors say Couch’s GPS showed he went to a south Seattle home while ignoring the ankle monitor’s verbal demands to call officers.
About two hours after he left Sea Mar, prosecutors say he was considered a “walkaway,” and his GPS stopped monitoring.
He has not been seen since, and there is now a warrant issued for his arrest.
Prosecutors say he’s supposed to be in jail or in treatment because he’s considered dangerous to the community.
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