(1) A person is guilty of escape in the first degree if he or she knowingly escapes from custody or a detention facility while being detained pursuant to a conviction of a felony or an equivalent juvenile offense.

Attorney's Note

Under the Washington Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class B felonyup to 10 yearsup to $20,000
For details, see Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.20.021

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Terms Used In Washington Code 9A.76.110

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Custody: means restraint pursuant to a lawful arrest or an order of a court, or any period of service on a work crew: PROVIDED, That custody pursuant to chapter 13. See Washington Code 9A.76.010
  • Detention facility: means any place used for the confinement of a person (a) arrested for, charged with or convicted of an offense, or (b) charged with being or adjudicated to be a juvenile offender as defined in RCW 13. See Washington Code 9A.76.010
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
  • Uncontrollable circumstances: means an act of nature such as a flood, earthquake, or fire, or a medical condition that requires immediate hospitalization or treatment, or an act of a human being such as an automobile accident or threats of death, forcible sexual attack, or substantial bodily injury in the immediate future for which there is no time for a complaint to the authorities and no time or opportunity to resort to the courts. See Washington Code 9A.76.010
(2) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this section that uncontrollable circumstances prevented the person from remaining in custody or in the detention facility or from returning to custody or to the detention facility, and that the person did not contribute to the creation of such circumstances in reckless disregard of the requirement to remain or return, and that the person returned to custody or the detention facility as soon as such circumstances ceased to exist.
(3) Escape in the first degree is a class B felony.

NOTES:

Effective date2001 c 264: “This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2001.” [ 2001 c 264 § 9.]
Severability1982 1st ex.s. c 47: See note following RCW 9.41.190.
Term of escaped prisoner recaptured: RCW 9.31.090.