Inmate escapes from Westville prison by stealing prison van 
04/04/2001

By Stan Maddux; Tribune Correspondent
March 29,2001 Thursday Marshall Edition

(WESTVILLE, Ind.) - A Westville Correctional Facility inmate escaped 
Wednesday by driving off the prison grounds and was last seen headed
west toward Porter County on U.S. 6. 

Fred Bishop, 27, was working kitchen duty when he made his way over to 
an unmarked prison van that was being loaded with supplies and climbed
behind the wheel, according to prison officials.

Officials were alerted to the escape after Bishop was seen driving
away in the vehicle described as a white van with a state license 
plate, prison officials said. 

Whether the engine was running when Bishop got inside or he had to start
it remains under investigation, said prison spokesperson Sharon Hawk. 

Hawk said area police agencies were immediately called in hopes of
capturing Bishop, whose last known address was in Indianapolis.

Police from Westville also responded to the prison but upon arrival "he
was long gone," said Town Marshal Jim Gunning. 

About 6 p.m. Michigan police reported the vehicle had been found near
St. Joseph and were investigating the possibility that Bishop may be
headed to Ludington, Mich. 

They also looked into reports he may have been going to Crown Point 
or Lake Station. 

Bishop was sentenced out of Shelby and Johnson counties on two counts
of burglary, resisting law enforcement and receiving stolen property 
and had been at Westville since May 5, 2000. 

His projected release date was Jan.22, 2008 

When asked how serious a threat Bishop could pose to society, Hawk
said "we are a low-to medium-security facility, so at this time we 
are not considering him armed and dangerous." 

"However, he is a convicted felon, so everyone is to take all precautions,"
she said.

Bishop was described by police as white, 5 feet 10 inches and 153
pounds with brown hair, brown eyes and a "freshly shaven head."

Paul Brubaker, who resides about a mile across a field from the prison,
is not as nervous about escapes nowadays.

That's because Brubaker about 20 years ago helped form Westville
Community Citizens Watch.

WCCW consists of residents near the prison who persuaded prison
officials to inform them immediately of escapes so they can lock
their doors and take other precautions.

Prior to the formation of WCCW, Brubaker said, one neighbor unaware of
an escape had an offender staying in his home a few days while away at
work.

Another time, Brubaker said, "I saw a guy run across my front yard and
he tried to get into my sister's house."

He later found out the man was an escapee.

Brubaker feels safer now that residents near the prison are alerted
immediately about escapes which he said have occurred a lot less
frequently the past several years.


Back 


Terms and Conditions
Copyright@2000 LEXIS-NEXIS, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights
Reserved.

http://www.policeone.com/parser.cfm?object=News&rel=3202&operation=full_news&id=3589