Mental health patient who escaped facility now in custody

A wanted man who was Baker Acted last week and escaped from a behavioral health facility in Sarasota over the weekend has been found, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Brian Stusalitus, 39, was initially booked into the Sarasota County Jail on Jan. 12 after being arrested and charged with trespassing on school grounds and disturbing the peace by the Sarasota Police Department.

Then, on Jan. 15, Stusalitus was Baker Acted and transported by corrections deputies to Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, at 1565 State St., in Sarasota.

On Sunday, the sheriff’s office was notified that Stusalitus escaped from the health care facility by jumping over a wall.

The Sarasota Police Department responded to the incident and led the investigation with an active warrant as he escaped while technically still in custody.

Stusalitus was found on Monday near the intersection of Ashton and Swift Roads in Sarasota and was transported to the Sarasota County Jail.

Stusalitus has one prior arrest in Sarasota County for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was released from prison in 2009 following a series of convictions from Orange County for battery, carjacking, robbery, burglary with assault, and grand theft of a motor vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.

This story was originally published January 22, 2018 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Mental health patient who escaped facility now in custody."