HALIFAX – RCMP have taken missing East Coast Forensic Hospital patient Mark Baltzer, 58, into custody one day after he was reported missing to police.
He left the hospital without permission shortly before 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Police say they took Baltzer into custody late Sunday afternoon.
Everton McLean, a spokesperson for Capital Health says Baltzer was in the parking lot at his vehicle when he took off.
“Staff members were there and did witness him drive away,” McLean told Global News.
According to officials, Baltzer was able to have his vehicle in the parking lot of the East Coast Forensic Hospital because until recently, he was allowed to have community access. That privilege was recently suspended because of a change in his mood.
McLean says there is conflicting information about what Baltzer was doing at his vehicle before he took off. During his disappaearance, officials at the hospital said Baltzer was not considered a risk to the public.
According to Halifax Regional Police, Baltzer has a lengthy criminal history.
“Mr. Baltzer’s history is actually around threats to police and police officers specifically. In general, his history is not around the public, so there is an officer safety risk certainly,” said Staff Sgt. Julia Cecchetto.
In June 2010, Baltzer was arrested after a passenger on a Marine Atlantic ferry crossing from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland reported Baltzer had said he was planning to travel to Cornerbrook, N.L., and kill police officers.
When police searched his vehicle at the time, he had boxes of ammunition, a high powered rifle, a crossbow and a machete. Baltzer was found not criminally responsible for a number of charges related to that incident.
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