Jefferson City inmate charged after holding University Hospital employee hostage in November

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An inmate at Jefferson City Correctional Center was charged in Boone County after trying to take a University Hospital employee hostage on Nov. 22, court documents say.

Matthew Handlang, 37, was charged on Tuesday with third-degree assault of a special victim, second-degree kidnapping and attempting to escape confinement. A court date has not been scheduled.

According to the probable cause statement, Handlang was evaluated at the hospital and was being escorted back to a Department of Corrections vehicle when he jumped out of his wheelchair and grabbed a hospital employee.

Handlang allegedly said that he was using the hostage so an officer would kill him, court documents say.

The statement says Handlang caused two minor cuts to one of the victim’s arms. He did not release the hostage until he was pepper sprayed by DOC officers, the statement says.

Court information says Handlang was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 6, 2014, for child abuse resulting in death.