CLEARFIELD – An inmate who escaped the Clearfield County Jail in May pleaded guilty Friday during plea and sentencing court.
Craig Steven Hauke-Miller, 36, of Lemont, was incarcerated in the jail on robbery charges for his actions at the Fuel On gas station in Chester Hill on Feb. 6 when he threatened the clerk with a pepper or mace spray before getting away with over $6,900.
On May 30, Hauke-Miller climbed up onto the roof and was able to get away from the jail. He was found later at a local motel.
For the felony escape charge, he was sentenced by Judge Paul E. Cherry to 25 months to seven years in state prison.
In the robbery case, he pleaded guilty to felony criminal trespass and theft by unlawful taking for which he received an additional term of 11 months to seven years in prison with five years concurrent probation, giving him a total prison sentence of 36 months to 14 years.
He was also ordered to pay the store over $6,800 in restitution.
The criminal complaint in the escape case details how Hauke-Miller planned his break out on May 30, even making changes to his appearance to avoid capture.
Through security footage, police could see him walking out to a recreational yard around 1 p.m. Hauke-Miller was the first of his block to be searched, leaving him free to go out into the yard.
While the guards were busy with the other inmates, he climbed up onto a door frame, then got hold of the roof and hoisted himself on to it.
He ran across for a while before descending down the wall near a parking lot and fleeing on foot.
Although other inmates saw him, no one reported it. The staff did not notice he was gone until over two hours later when they did accountability check.
Because he has “an extensive criminal history, including many violent crimes and a demonstrated history of escape, pursuits and other high-risk behaviors,” authorities felt his escape posed a risk to public safety and his apprehension was made a priority.
The investigation led police to a nearby motel on the Clearfield Woodland Highway. Several agencies converged on the area and began a room-to-room search.
When they knocked on the door to room 211, a woman answered and stated: “come in and get him.”
Hauke-Miller could be seen in room and he was quickly taken into custody around 8:28 p.m.
According to the original robbery affidavit, the victim told police after reviewing surveillance footage, she realized the suspect entered the store twice before the robbery took place.
At one point, he was standing outside smoking and watching her through the window while she was counting money.
Police also reviewed the footage where they were able to see the suspect arrive at the store where he played the Skills game at the back of the building.
He got a winning ticket, which he took to the front of the store and cashed it in. He watched “intently where she got the money to pay out the ticket.”
He left but returned about 20 minutes later and this is when he stood outside smoking and watching the clerk.
He entered the store and played the games again until he won. As he cashed out the ticket, he was watching her “carefully.”
Police noted that he left the store and returned twice more before the robbery.
This time he was wearing a black face covering and gray gloves. He removed a can of mace or pepper spray from his pocket before jumping over the counter.
He pointed it at the clerk as he pushed her away from the drawers, according to the criminal complaint.
The suspect, later identified as Hauke-Miller by other customers of the store, was thought to be driving a silver Dodge Dakota from the late 1990’s or early 2000’s that appeared to have damage to the passenger side of the bed of the truck.
Later the truck, which had been painted black, was located at a Centre County residence.
An alert for Hauke-Miller was issued by state police on Feb. 15 who listed him as “possibly armed” after he fled on foot after crashing a vehicle in Greene Township, Clinton County.
He is facing two cases in that county for fleeing from police and related charges, which are scheduled for jury selection on Sept. 15.