Nazareth police said a handcuffed man slipped away from two constables after a court hearing Monday and is on the run.
Around noon, Daniel J. Preziosi, 24, was at District Judge John Capobianco's office for a robbery hearing on charges filed in October by Colonial Regional police.
After the hearing, Preziosi was with two other inmates who were also at Capobianco's office for hearings. As he was being led out by two constables, Preziosi ran off, crossed a parking lot and might have escaped in a waiting vehicle, police said.
Preziosi shed his prison jumpsuit, said Nazareth police Chief Thomas Trachta. A police dog was brought to the area to assist in the search.
A Colonial Regional police officer who was in the courtroom for the hearing left the building before the escape, Colonial Regional police Chief Roy Seiple said.
Seiple said Preziosi's girlfriend is in police custody for questioning. No charges have been filed against her, police said.
Preziosi may be wearing a thermal shirt and pants and apparently fled in a 1993 Toyota Camry with heavy front-end damage, according to police radio reports.
He had a preliminary hearing on charges of robbery, assault, possession of instruments of crime and theft related to the Oct. 18 holdup of Wundeler's Market at 429 E. Main St., Bath.
Police said a vehicle matching a description of the one used in the robbery was parked in front of The Fox strip club, leading officers to Preziosi. Two of the robbery victims identified Preziosi from a photo lineup.
According to court records, Preziosi was ordered Monday to face trial in Northampton County Court.
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McClatchy-Tribune News Service