Police Chief Thanks Agencies Involved in Manhunt

CLEARFIELD – On Tuesday Lawrence Township Police Chief Jeff Fink thanked all who helped bring an escaped prisoner back into custody.

Fink was referring Michael Rodriguez, who led police on a roughly-24 hour manhunt. According to prior Gant report, Rodriguez destroyed a portion of the perimeter fencing and scaled an outside fence on Sept. 22.

Rodriguez then reportedly stole a pickup truck from the Co-Go’s service station near the Wolfe Run Industrial Park at 9:34 a.m. Wednesday morning. At approximately 9:57 a.m. on Sept. 23, Clearfield County Deputy Sheriffs Jerry Nevling and Mark Coudriet observed Rodriguez in the stolen pickup near Lecontes Mills in Girard Township.

A high-speed pursuit followed during which the Pennsylvania State Police and the Sheriff’s Office established a road block and deployed spike strips in an effort to stop Rodriguez. Rodriguez lost control of the pickup truck and crashed along a curve in state Route 879, near the Progress Camp Road in Goshen.

Those organizations that took part in the search were: Clearfield County Sheriff’s Office, Lawrence Township Police Department, Clearfield Borough Police Department, Sandy Township Police Department, DuBois City Police Department, Decatur Township Police Department, Curwensville Borough Police Department, State College Borough Police Department K-9 Unit, Clearfield State Police, Pennsylvania State Police Aviation Unit, DCNR Forestry Rangers, Clearfield County Emergency Management, Goshen Township Volunteer Fire Department, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office and the Clearfield County Jail.

Fink said on Tuesday that the operation went smoothly and that there was great cooperation between the departments involved.