Escaped inmate sentenced in Latah County

The 34-year-old Idaho inmate who escaped a prison work crew last month on the University of Idaho campus before being captured in Pullman was sentenced Tuesday in Latah County District Court.

Deputy Prosecutor Keith Scholl told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News that Wayland Savage pleaded guilty to escape by a felon. He was sentenced to three years in prison with one year fixed. That will be added to Savage’s original sentence for grand theft crimes in Ada and Canyon counties, which amounted to 10 years in prison with four years fixed. Savage was eligible for parole in 2026.

On Aug. 14, Savage was part of an Idaho Department of Corrections work crew responsible for cleaning the Theophilus Tower on the UI campus.

When it was reported that Savage escaped the work crew, local police and the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team arrived at the Theophilus Tower to search for him but could not locate the inmate.

According to court documents, police later received a tip that someone matching Savage’s description was seen at Sunset Mart in Pullman. As Pullman Police searched for Savage, an officer found him in downtown Pullman along the riverwalk.

Police thought Savage may have stolen a car to get to Pullman, but Savage told officers he walked to Pullman on the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail. Savage also had a backpack in his possession containing bandannas, fake diamond earrings, underwear with a Ross tag on it, a bottle of cologne with a Marshalls tag, sunglasses and a dry-erase marker. All the items appeared new and unused, court documents say.

When police contacted the Ross store in Moscow, the store employee said they found Savage’s old clothing inside their store.

As part of Savage’s plea deal, Scholl did not include possession of stolen property as one of the charges.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.