CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw, Jr. announced that an inmate who escaped from the Clearfield County Jail has been taken into custody at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
Shaw said that Michael Rodriguez, Jr., 32 of Buffalo, NY, who was incarcerated and awaiting a trial, escaped from the jail at approximately 2:05 p.m. Tuesday. He said Rodriguez “successfully destroyed” a portion of the perimeter fencing and scaled an outside fence. He said that law enforcement arrived on-scene within minutes of the escape and a man-hunt began immediately.
Shaw said Rodriguez reportedly stole a pick-up truck from the Co-Go’s service station near the Wolf Run Industrial Park at 9:34 a.m. Wednesday morning. At approximately 9:57 a.m., he said Clearfield County Deputy Sheriffs Jerry Nevling and Mark Coudriet observed Rodriguez in the stolen pick-up near Lecontes Mills in Girard Township.
He said that a high-speed pursuit followed during which the Pennsylvania State Police and the Sheriff’s Office established a road block. He said they deployed spike strips in an effort to stop Rodriguez. At approximately 10:04 a.m., he said Rodriguez lost control of the pick-up truck and crashed along a curve in state Route 879, near the Progress Camp Road in Goshen.
He said Rodriguez was immediately taken into custody without further incident. When asked by the press, he said that firearms were not recovered from Rodriguez.
In a press release, he said Rodriguez was transported via ambulance to the Clearfield Hospital for medical treatment. During the press conference, he said he believed Rodriguez was transported to the Clearfield Airport, however. From there, he believed Rodriguez was airlifted to the Altoona Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the accident. Both Shaw and Lawrence Township Police Chief Jeff Fink said they were uncertain of the severity surrounding his injuries.
Shaw said Rodriguez was being held at the jail on charges for burglary, criminal trespass, terroristic threats, simple assault and related charges. He said the charges stemmed from an Aug. 10 incident during which Rodriguez was charged by the DuBois City Police Department.
According to the affidavit of probable cause for the case, Officer Randall L. Young and another officer were dispatched to West Scribner Avenue for a reported male who was on parole and had broken into a female’s residence at approximately 3:50 a.m. on Aug. 10. Clearfield County Control stated the female informed them that she and her children were hiding outside near another residence. She also indicated she was afraid to go near the residence and did not want the male to see her.
At arrival, police made contact with the female who they described as “very nervous and frightened.” She identified the male as Rodriguez and said they had been in a relationship previously. But she said it had ended some time ago.
The female said she had been sleeping in her bed with her young daughter with the home locked. She said she was awakened by Rodriguez, who was choking her around the throat. Police indicated they observed redness around the front of her neck area in court documents.
She said Rodriguez made threats against her life, stating “he was not going back to jail.” She said he told her to “shut her daughter up” and then pulled her off the bed. She said she struck Rodriguez in the head with a vase, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
She said she attempted to calm down Rodriguez, but he began to mumble and passed out. She said she could smell an alcoholic beverage on his breath. She told police she was scared he’d harm her or her children. After he closed his eyes, she said she retrieved her children and left the residence to contact police.
Police said Rodriguez was located in an upstairs bedroom and asleep in the victim’s bed. He was subsequently taken into custody. The female told police she neither asked Rodriguez to come to her home nor did she want him there. Police said she notified them he had never been to her home and didn’t know where she was living.
In court documents, Young indicated a registration was checked for a New York vehicle in the driveway. He indicated that initially everything was returned “OK.” After a corresponding police agency checked the same, he said police determined that the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix had been stolen from Buffalo, NY on Aug. 9.
Shaw said Rodriguez will face additional charges for his escape pending the completion of the police investigation. He said the Lawrence Township Police Department will be the primary investigator. He stressed the investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances of the escape and to identify who may have aided Rodriguez.
Fink indicated the incident resulted in a “great strain” for a small police department. Normally, he said each department only has two or three officers designated for a shift. He said additional officers had to be called upon to aid in the search and to carry out regular duties as a result.
Shaw noted Rodriguez was the second escape in two years. He said the issue will be discussed further at prison board meetings. He also added that today the persons who are incarcerated are different from those years ago. He said they are a different caliber of criminal.
Shaw indicated the multi-department man-hunt involved those from the Clearfield County Sheriff’s Office, Lawrence Township Police Department, Clearfield Borough Police Department, Sandy Township Police Department, DuBois City Police Department, Decatur Township Police Department, Curwensville Borough Police Department, State College Borough Police Department K-9 Unit, Clearfield State Police, Pennsylvania State Police Aviation Unit, DCNR Forestry Rangers, Clearfield County Emergency Management, Goshen Township Volunteer Fire Department, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office and the Clearfield County Jail.
“We thank everyone for their hard work. It was a late night and an early morning. A lot of people went a lot of hours. It was a lot of hard work to capture this fellow,” he said. “They got him in 24 hours. I think that’s pretty darn good. I think it speaks volumes for the cooperation and hard work of the law enforcement here in Clearfield County.”