A violent crimes detective testified during a preliminary hearing for Skylar Meade, the inmate charged with escaping from an Idaho hospital in an ambush that left three corrections officers injured. The detective explained that security video captured most of the ambush, showing Meade being escorted by officers to a transport van when an accomplice pointed an object at them and opened fire. Meade and the shooter then fled in a parked vehicle. The incident occurred at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and resulted in two officers being wounded, with a third being shot by responding police officers. All are expected to recover.
The escape of Meade and his accomplice, Nicholas Umphenour, led to a 36-hour manhunt during which two men were killed in Clearwater County and Nez Perce County. The victims were identified as James L. Mauney, 83, and Gerald Don Henderson, 72. Meade and Umphenour are suspected of being involved in the killings but no charges have been filed yet. Both men are members of the Aryan Knights white supremacist prison gang, described as a “scourge” in the state’s penitentiary system. Meade was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff’s sergeant, while Umphenour had recently been released from prison.
Meade and Umphenour were at times housed together and had mutual friends in and out of prison, officials revealed. Meade had been in solitary confinement due to being deemed a security risk. Another individual, Tonia Huber, has been charged in connection with the escape for driving the vehicle Meade was in when he was arrested. Huber faces charges of harboring a fugitive, eluding police, and drug possession. The investigation into the escape and subsequent crimes is ongoing, with preliminary hearings for Umphenour and another accomplice scheduled for late April.
The Idaho Department of Correction officials are working closely with law enforcement to bring justice to those involved in the escape and subsequent shootings. The incident has raised concerns about the security measures in place at hospitals and during inmate transport, prompting a review of protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future. Meade’s arraignment has been set for April 17, where he will face charges related to the escape and the shootings that occurred during the ambush at the hospital. The community is shocked and saddened by the violence that unfolded, and authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety of both law enforcement officers and the general public.
As the investigation continues, more details are expected to emerge about the events leading up to the escape and the subsequent crimes committed. The capture of Meade and Umphenour has brought some closure to the community, but questions remain about how such a violent incident could have occurred. The victims of the shootings are being mourned by their families and loved ones, and the community is coming together to support one another during this difficult time. The authorities are urging anyone with information about the escape or the shootings to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.
