VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) — A Franklin man who reportedly removed his GPS monitoring bracelet and fled court-ordered drug and alcohol treatment waived his hearing in court on Wednesday.

Court documents indicate the following charges against 27-year-old Justin Tyler Evans were waived for court on Wednesday, July 8:

– Escape, Misdemeanor 2
– Flight To Avoid Apprehension/Trial/Punishment, Misdemeanor 2

The charges have been transferred to the Venango County Court of Common Pleas.

He remains lodged in the Venango County Jail with bail denied, and the reason listed as “flight risk.”

The charges stem from an incident that occurred in Oil City in late May.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, around 7:06 p.m. on Friday, May 22, Franklin Police received information from a State Parole agent that Justin Tyler Evans had cut his GPS ankle monitoring bracelet and had fled from Oil Region Recover. Police then confirmed that Evans was court-ordered to maintain GPS monitoring and remain in drug and alcohol treatment as part of Venango County’s “Problem Solving Court” program.

According to the complaint, the investigation then established that around 7:00 p.m. on May 22, Evans removed his GPS ankle monitor and left the Oil Region Recover facility in violation of court orders, effectively unlawfully removing himself from court-ordered detention.

The complaint notes the GPS bracelet was recovered at Oil Region Recover after police exhausted a search of the area for Evans.

Evans reportedly fled the area, concealing himself to avoid arrest for the crime of escape.

Evans was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 29.