Man denied bail after allegedly escaping Masontown magistrate’s office
A Uniontown man was denied bail after he reportedly fled the Masontown magistrate’s office and led police on a hunt last week.
Justin Dane Shipp, 21, of Solomon Circle is facing a felony count of escape.
He was arrested after a search which included the Masontown Police K-9 unit, state police and the state police aviation unit.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in his case, Shipp was in custody at Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. Shimshock’s office following his arrest on a Fayette County bench warrant issued Nov. 28. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Shipp, who was handcuffed, reaching into his pocket and opening the door to the holding cell at about noon. He allegedly ran from the office into the woods in the area of Rocks Works Road.
Shipp was arraigned by on-call Fayette County Magisterial District Judge Mike Defino Jr., who denied bail in the case. His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 9 before Shimshock.