Police locate man with criminal history who walked out of state mental health facility

Officers with the Columbia Police Department have located a man with a criminal history who they say left a state mental health facility in Columbia earlier Monday after having a disagreement with staff.

William Hamrick, 49, was found walking in the 300 block of Arbor Lake Drive shortly before 7:30 p.m., department spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said in a statement released Monday night.

Hamrick was about three miles from the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) where he was last seen Monday morning. Hamrick was admitted to the facility at 8301 Farrow Road after a hearing in the Cherokee County Probate Court, in Gaffney, in August of 2014. According to DDSN officials, Hamrick walked away from the facility Monday morning.

He is expected to be handed over to DDSN officials, Timmons said.

Mindy Lucas

This story was originally published June 8, 2015 at 5:48 PM.