A 26-year-old man who was subjected to electronic monitoring left his place of work in Snyder Township yesterday morning as prison officials were arriving for a routine check.
Blair County Prison Captain Mike Johnston told The Daily Herald that he and another prison official arrived at P G Recycling Inc. on old Route 220 to make a routine check on Shawn Michael Hinterberger of Duncansville.
“He saw us pulling in,” said Capt. Johnston.
At that point, Hinterberger headed to the back of the building. Johnston said he had verbal contact with Hinterberger who said he was going to his employer’s office. Hinterberger then went out the back door. Johnston said he was about 40 feet away from Hinterberger when he spoke to him.
Sheriff Larry Field and Johnston both said Hinterberger was still on the loose as of this morning. Field said he had received word from another police official that the man’s father has reported a shotgun missing from his home. Field could not say if there was a connection between Hinterberger’s departure and the missing gun.
Field said one of his deputies, Dale Delozier gave chase in the incident and both he and Hinterberger fell down an embankment. Hinterberger eventually got away. Field said Delozier suffered a slight injury and his bullet-proof vest saved him from further injury although his uniform was damaged.
Hinterberger was due to be released in September, according to Field.
“It makes you wonder why when they have such a short time to go,” said Field. “(It) makes you scratch your head.”
Both Field and Johnston said the incidents don’t happen that often, but both recalled times where prisoners did not have a long time remaining on their sentence when they decided to go on the lam.
