VENANGO COUNTY, Pa. (EYT) — Franklin-based State Police have filed felony charges against 27-year-old Steven Wayne Mendez, of Oil City, for flight to avoid apprehension and related offenses.
According to court records, on November 25, 2015, a criminal complaint was filed against Mendez on the following charges:
- Flight To Avoid Apprehension/Trial/Punishment, Felony 3
- Default In Required Appearance, Felony 3
- Criminal Mischief-Tamper W/Property, Summary
He is awaiting a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey on these charges.
Mendez was the target of a massive manhunt by the Pennsylvania State Police, the State Office of Probation and Parole, and Venango County Court Supervision.
Franklin-based State Police say Mendez cut off his house arrest monitoring bracelet and fled his address while released on $25,000.00 bail on a theft of a motor vehicle charge. He failed to appear at a hearing scheduled for August 4 at the Venango County Courthouse.
Authorities had been searching for Mendez since late July.
He was apprehended during a traffic stop in Mercer County on October 20.
He was wanted on various charges including Simple Assault, Theft by Unlawful Taking, and Burglary.
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