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HURRICANE, Washington County — Police arrested a St. George man who they say walked into a secure area used by officers near the Purgatory Correctional Facility, took a Washington County sheriff's deputy uniform and then drove off in an unlocked pickup truck from the jail parking lot.
Ryan Bradley Thompson, 36, was charged Tuesday in 5th District Court with theft, a second-degree felony; burglary, a third-degree felony; providing false information to police, a class A misdemeanor; plus impersonating an officer and theft, class B misdemeanors.
Thompson was released Monday from the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane where he had been booked and charged with intoxication and littering, according to court documents.
But once released, he told police he "was hearing a voice on a radio telling him he needed to get out of there before he got locked back up. Ryan went further to explain that this same voice told him he needed to go inside and 'pretend to be a cop,' or 'they were going to lock him back up and not let him talk to his family,'" a police booking affidavit states.
Investigators — who later went back and reviewed surveillance video — observed Thompson walk into a patrol building "through an open door leading into the secure portion of the building. This door was propped open at this time as there were a large amount of people coming and going for an active training. This door is typically secured and only accessible with an ID badge," the affidavit states.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said Thompson walked into an office area which is restricted, but is separate from the actual jai and houses several different law enforcement agency offices.
Once in the secure area, Thompson went into a gym locker room and is later allegedly seen on video walking out while holding a Washington County sheriff's deputy uniform shirt.
"Ryan can then be seen coming in and out of the building, then eventually putting the uniform shirt on and tucking it partially into his jeans. At one point Ryan took off his pants and was walking around in the uniform shirt and what appeared to be dark colored boxer shorts," according to the affidavit.
Police say Thompson then walked to the front of the building and talked to a civilian staff member.
"This staff member relayed later in an interview with me that Ryan tried to make small talk and when asked who he was, he stated he was 'the boss' and 'I work here,'" the affidavit states.
Thompson then checked the door handles of several vehicles in the parking lot, and eventually got into a pickup truck and drove home, according to police. When a sheriff's deputy arrived at his house, Thompson at first allegedly claimed he was somebody else.
"Ryan stated that most of his actions were not too clear to him due to drugs and mental illness. Based on my interactions with Ryan and his own statements, it is clear Ryan is not in his correct state of mind and, in his own words, this is leading to him committing these crimes," the arresting deputy wrote in the affidavit.
Although Thompson only got into an office area and the gym, the sheriff's office said it is "concerning," and the department is "absolutely looking" into how he was able to get into a restricted area and how they can prevent that from happening again.
