Contact: Matthew Sentner Chief of Police

537 Bayne Avenue Bellevue, PA 15202 (412) 766-7401

Bellevue Borough PD

Press Release

Four Ohio escaped prisoners captured in Bellevue Borough

Monday, August 18, 2008

On Monday, August 18, 2008 Bellevue Officers Michael Hudson and Tim Mulkerin were requested by the Pennsylvania State Police to assist one of their troopers to help look for a wanted person possibly in Bellevue. Officer Hudson spoke with the trooper who informed him that he was looking for a stolen vehicle from the State of Ohio and the driver was wanted for escape from an Ohio Jail.

While in the area near Kendall Avenue in Bellevue, Officer Hudson and the trooper found the vehicle and noticed that there were five occupants. Officer Hudson attempted to conduct a traffic stop when the vehicle fled. He pursued the vehicle a short distance when it turned onto Crawford Avenue (dead end street) and stopped. The driver (Jason Heffner) fled the vehicle and ran into a wooded area.

The remaining four passengers, Mark Foden, William Merritt, John Hamilton, along with the girlfriend of Heffner were detained at the vehicle and did not flee. Bellevue officers were assisted by multiple departments including, Ross Twp., Ohio Twp., Avalon, West View, Allegheny Co. Sheriffs, Pittsburgh Police and Pa. State Police.

Ross Twp. Police utilized their K-9 unit to conduct a search of the wooded area near Crawford Avenue. A short time after his arrival the K-9 officer and his dog located Heffner near a baseball field forcing him to flee once again. Heffner was apprehended by officers in the area without further incident.

All five occupants were identified and the males were found to be the four escapees from the Columbiana County Jail in Lisbon, Ohio. All five were taken to the Bellevue Police Department for processing. The four males will be delivered to the Allegheny County Jail to await extradition back to Ohio.

Authorized: Matthew Sentner, Chief of Police