An Ohio man serving a sentence at Schuylkill County Prison escaped from a work release assignment at a Saint Clair church Friday morning and ran from an officer into the woods before he was caught, police say.
Ryan Yingst, 37, of Lake Milton, Ohio, is charged with escape, flight to avoid apprehension, and evading arrest on foot. Yingst was arraigned Friday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel and was remanded to Schuylkill County Prison on $150,000 bail.
Around 9:30 a.m. Friday, Adult Probation Officer William Moran called the Saint Clair police station to report that an inmate had escaped his custody during the work release program, according to police.
Moran told police Yingst was enrolled in the program and was assigned to remodel floors at Saint Clare of Assisi Church on E. Hancock St. Moran said Yingst was unaccounted for and believed to be an escapee.
Yingst was described as wearing dark blue pants, a light blue shirt, a white undershirt, and dark-colored boots. He had a green tattoo on his neck.
While Saint Clair Officer Vincent Bennett was on patrol, Schuylkill County 9-1-1 told him the man was spotted by an off-duty officer on Tunnel Rd. heading toward the Tiger’s Den gas station.
Bennett turned from W. Russell St. onto Tunnel Rd. and was heading south when he saw a man wearing the same clothes and matching Yingst’s description.
Yingst ran east into a wooded area, police say. Bennett identified himself as a Saint Clair police officer and ordered him to stop, but the man ignored his commands and kept running. He was was taken into custody without further incident after a short foot pursuit.
Court records show Yingst recently had his parole revoked from a 2015 conviction on a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 27 before Magisterial District Judge Edward M. Lewis.
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