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Update: Escaped inmate caught at Cannery Row kills himself in prison cell

An escaped inmate who was arrested at a Cannery Row restaurant last week committed suicide in his cell Sunday, state prison officials confirmed.

John Collard, 56, left the Ben Lomond Conservation Camp on September 2, stealing a truck belonging to the facility. He was there as part of an inmate fire crew.

Collard was arrested by Monterey police at Sly McFly’s on Thursday, Sept. 4 and turned over to state prison officials.

After being brought back to the California Correctional Center in Susanville, Collard was placed in the administrative segregation unit and was receiving wellness checks about every 30 minutes — as all newly arrived inmates placed in the unit do, according to prison spokeswoman Yvonne Hackler.

Hackler said Collard was found unresponsive in his cell Sunday morning. He was the sole occupant.

Staff began life-saving measures but just before 11 a.m., a prison doctor pronounced him dead.

“We have enough information to indicate Collard committed suicide on Sunday, Sept. 7,” said Hackler. “This matter is still under investigation and specific details of the death cannot be released at this time.”

Collard was committed to the state prison system in February 2013 after being convicted in Monterey County Superior Court of making criminal threats, resisting arrest by threat of violence and illegally possessing a firearm. He was scheduled to be released from prison in January 2018

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