MASON COUNTY, Wash. — A new video released by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office shows the moment officers arrest a wanted man from a precarious position following a multi-agency search.
The man, David Williford, was found climbing along beams underneath the High Steel Bridge in Mason County, high above the Skokomish River.
Williford had cut his ankle monitor off in West Seattle, where he was on house arrest for incest-related charges. Williford has a history of child sex crimes and animal abuse.
According to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Williford was having a mental health crisis when they found him yesterday. At first, he wasn’t cooperating, but eventually, he allowed deputies to help him over the railing and safely onto the bridge.
He was taken to the hospital for a mental health evaluation before being taken to jail on a warrant for escaping community custody.
Captured: Escaped Offender Apprehended Near High Steel Bridge On May 12, 2025, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check at the High Steel Bridge following reports that David Williford, an escaped Department of Corrections (DOC) offender. Williford, who recently cut off his ankle monitor while under house arrest, has been the subject of a multi-agency manhunt. Deputies arrived to find Williford climbing the structural beams beneath the bridge. He was in the midst of a mental health crisis and was initially uncooperative. After approximately 30 minutes of negotiations, MCSO deputies, along with the assistance of a civilian at the scene, successfully convinced Williford to surrender. Williford was safely taken into custody and transported to Mason General Hospital for a mental health evaluation. He was then turned over to the Department of Corrections and transported to jail on an outstanding warrant for Escape from Community Custody. MCSO commends the professionalism of the responding deputies and the cooperation of those at the scene. Public safety remains our top priority. #MasonCountyWa #TeamMCSO ~40
Posted by Mason County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, May 13, 2025
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