Fairbanks man escapes from halfway house for second time

FAIRBANKS — Authorities are looking for a halfway house resident who escaped from a van that was transporting him back to the Fairbanks Correctional Center.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that 24-year-old Byron Alvin Toovak jumped out of the van last week while being driven to the jail at the request of his probation officer.

The incident marked the second time Toovak has escaped from the halfway house in eight months.

He reportedly walked away from the North Star Center in February while serving time for a felony drug conviction. He was arrested a month later and pleaded guilty to an escape charge in July.

Toovak was jailed and transferred to the halfway house in August.

He was last seen wearing a black jacket, gray hat and blue jeans.

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