Man fleeing police jumps into Olympia’s East Bay

A man fleeing police jumped into Olympia’s East Bay at about 3 p.m. Friday and stayed in the water for nearly 90 minutes, according to Olympia Police Patrol Sgt. Jeff Herbig.

The high temperature in the area was in the low 40s at the time, according to the National Weather Service.

“Once he was in (the water), our concern was his well-being,” Herbig said.

The man, who is believed to have some mental health issues, was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for medical assistance, Herbig said.

Police had originally contacted the man after they received a report of an “unwanted subject” at the Hands On Children’s Museum, Herbig said.

The museum’s executive director, Patty Belmonte, said certain areas of the building, such as the cafeteria, are open to the public. However, adult visitors aren’t allowed to go into exhibit areas unless they are accompanied by children. She said the suspect has tried to break that policy several times.

No children were hurt, but the man has acted inappropriately in the past and is no longer welcome at the museum, Belmonte said.

“It was part of our safety routine,” she said. “It was a courtesy call because of past situations.”

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 6:40 PM with the headline "Man fleeing police jumps into Olympia’s East Bay."