Sandy MaloneShreveport, LA – A murder suspect, who is a former Bossier City police officer and Bossier Parish sheriff’s deputy, overpowered a deputy during an escape attempt from a hospital.
John Hardy, 43, was arrested on suspicion that he killed his business partner, 48-year-old Garrett Wilson, on Feb. 22, the Bossier Press-Tribune reported.
Wilson was reported missing in late January but his remains were found in February in a rural area near Rocky Mount Road in northern Bossier Parish.
Hardy was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, and booked into the Bossier Maximum Security Facility in Plain Dealing, the Bossier Press-Tribune reported.
He was held on a $1.3 million bond, Bossier Now reported.
Shreveport Police Corporal Angie Willhite said Hardy’s escape attempt occurred just after noon on March 13, KSLA reported.
Cpl. Willhite said Hardy requested medical attention and was escorted to Oschner-LSU Health Medical Center in Shreveport by a Bossier Parish sheriff’s deputy.
While Hardy was waiting to be treated, he tried unsuccessfully to disarm the female deputy who was guarding him, KSLA reported.
But he did manage to grab the deputy’s pepper spray and deploy it at her.
That’s when he tried to make good his escape, but was stopped by a doctor and several other hospital staff members who tackled him before he got out of his hospital room, according to the Bossier Press-Tribune.
The medical staff kept Hardy pinned down until LSU Health police officers responded, according to KSLA.
Cpl. Willhite said Hardy was taken back to the Bossier Parish jail immediately after his escape attempt.
In addition to the murder and obstruction charges, Hardy has been charged with attempting to disarm a peace officer and battery on a peace officer, KSLA reported.
Bond for those charges was set at $50,000.