Clinton County jury finds Lock Haven man guilty of escape
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Matthew Joseph Cole, 36, formerly of Renovo, most recently of Arch Street, Lock Haven, was convicted of escape, a felony of the third degree, flight to avoid apprehension, a misdemeanor of the second degree, resisting arrest, a misdemeanor of the second degree, disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor of the third degree, and attempted escape, a felony of the third degree, following a one-day jury trial in Clinton County Court on Friday of last week.
The jury deliberated approximately one hour before returning a verdict of guilty on all counts charged. As the trial commenced, District Attorney Dave Strouse provided an opening statement to the jury that was immediately followed by Cole informing President Judge Craig P. Miller that he wished to represent himself during the trial. Cole then provided his own opening statement to the jury, wherein he denied committing any serious offenses, insisting that he was guilty only of disorderly conduct.
Cole was charged by the Commonwealth after he fled Sheriff’s custody on July 26, 2021 immediately after being sentenced to a 15-48 month state prison sentence by Judge Michael F. Salisbury in Courtroom 2 of the Clinton County Courthouse on that date. Deputy Sheriff Scott Sorgen, the arresting officer, testified at trial that he was the deputy assigned to take Cole into custody following sentencing in July of 2021, and as he escorted Cole from the courtroom, Cole immediately broke free from him in a full sprint and ran down the rear stairs to the courthouse. Sorgen testified that he chased Cole and attempted to physically restrain him as they entered the first floor of the courthouse, but Cole continued to fight and eventually break free from Deputy Sorgen again. Sorgen and other Deputy Sheriffs had to deploy tasers four times before Cole was able to be subdued in the first-floor hallway of the courthouse.
DA Strouse also produced video surveillance footage from inside the courthouse that showed the incident unfold. In the video, Cole was seen running from Deputy Sorgen and Deputy Sorgen tackling Cole to the ground. In the process Cole’s shirt was torn from his body as he continued to pull away from Sorgen. Chief Deputy Jim Worden was seen then deploying a taser before he then tackled Cole a second time. Sorgen and Deputy John Lavrich would then also deploy tasers before Cole was eventually able to be handcuffed. Sorgen was the only witness called by Strouse, and he rested the Commonwealth’s case approximately an hour and half after the trial started.
Cole, representing himself, then called several witnesses in his own defense. In his testimony, Cole claimed that he was never trying to escape he was just trying to make a phone call to his girlfriend. He alleged that Deputy Sorgen instead attacked him and tased him on the rear courthouse stairs, which, Cole claimed, was the reason he began to run. During cross-examination of Cole, DA Strouse re-played the surveillance video of Cole fighting with Deputy Sorgen and showed that the deputy had never drawn his taser until well after Cole claimed to have been tased by Sorgen.
Judge Miller scheduled sentencing in the case for March. In the meantime, Cole is scheduled for trial in another case on March 6 on charges of attempted escape and institutional vandalism from the Clinton County Correctional Facility. In that case, police allege that Cole attempted to escape from the jail by tunneling through the concrete walls of the correctional facility on September 14, 2021. Source: Clinton County District Attorney’s Office
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://clinton.crimewatchpa.com/da/133000/post/jury-finds-cole-guilty-escape
