Ol' Dirty Bastard fled a drug treatment center last week and has gone into hiding, prompting a Los Angeles judge to place a bench warrant for his arrest.

According to a source at the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, ODB (a.k.a. Russell Tyrone Jones) was scheduled for an Oct. 17 court appearance when he fled the Impact House, a drug-treatment facility in Pasadena, Calif. Though the Impact House is not a secure detention center, the facility was to be his residence for six months by court order after he violated his probation when he was caught with alcohol in his possession earlier this year. ODB's initial probation stems from charges in 1999 of wearing a bulletproof vest and making terrorist threats.

The incident is a setback for the Wu-Tang rapper, who had made progress after being moved from county jail to the rehab center in June. In September, Impact House claimed that his condition was improving, and he was allowed supervised trips out of the facility.

But ODB's latest disappearing act might land him in prison instead of rehab. On the day of the rapper's disappearance, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge issued a warrant that will not allow bail to be posted when he is apprehended.

The rapper also has outstanding cases in New York City, where he faces drug and motor vehicle charges from various incidents in 1998 and 1999.

Calls to Robert Shapiro, ODB's West Coast attorney, were not returned by press time.

ANDREW DANSBY
(October 26, 2000)