Escape causes school lockout
Deputies still looking for suspect who evaded being taken into custody
Saratoga County sheriff ’s authorities were looking for the man they say escaped from their custody Thursday, an incident that caused a lockout at Wood Road Elementary School and the Ballston Spa middle and high schools.
On Thursday morning, 26year-old Kevin Dahl, who had an active warrant, “took off ” while deputies were trying to arrest him at the county’s public safety building in Ballston Spa, the sheriff ’s office said. He was still being sought as of late Friday.
“He booked out the front door,” Sheriff Michael Zurlo said.
Zurlo said Dahl was last seen on Route 50 and that the nearby schools were placed on lockout as a precaution.
“We don’t want the guy running into the school if he was in that area,” Zurlo said.
Zurlo said on Thursday afternoon that “they were working on” capturing the suspect who
initially appeared at the sheriff ’s office to retrieve property. At that point, deputies realized he had an active warrant for his arrest on a probation violation.
Those with information on Dahl can call the Saratoga County Sheriff ’s Office at 518885-6761. Dahl is 6 feet, 4 inches tall with red hair and red facial hair.
According to the Saratogian newspaper, Dahl was arrested in 2018 after he caused a disturbance at the Stewart’s Shop on Crescent Road in Clifton Park. Then living in Clifton Park, he was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession
of a hypodermic instrument and resisting arrest.
Ken Slentz, superintendent of the Ballston Spa Central School District, posted a note on the website during lockout asking “all of you to stay put until such time as we have this resolved.”
Slentz also said that all students and staff were safe during the lockout, which means that no one is allowed to leave or enter the building, but the school day proceeds. A lockdown is more restrictive and requires that students and staff remain in the room that they are in at the time the lockdown is implemented.