A man who escaped police custody at a West Village hospital on Dec. 29 has been apprehended, the NYPD said.
On Saturday around 7:10 a.m., police said, Daniel Ortiz, 31, was taken into custody at Penn Station without incident.
During his nine days on the run, Ortiz was “riding the subway,” a law enforcement official said.
Ortiz had escaped before the new year from the Lenox Hill Healthplex, a hospital facility on Seventh Avenue between 12th and 13th streets. Ortiz was being treated in a private room at the hospital, police said.
The officer who was guarding Ortiz was suspended as of Dec. 30, police said.
In addition to his original charge of petty larceny, Ortiz now faces escape charges.
With Jillian Jorgensen
