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Windber man waives on fleeing charge, theft allegations [The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.](Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, PA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 21--A Windber man accused of stealing hundreds of dollars in electronics from local stores -- and then fleeing Geistown police in September -- will face trial in Cambria County Court on an escape charge. Gene Eric Muscatello, 28, of the 1400 block of Paint Street, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday before District Judge John Barron of Stonycreek Township. In a criminal complaint, Geistown police said they spotted Muscatello on Sept. 24 in the parking lot of Ideal Market in the Geistown Shopping Center. Muscatello was walking to his vehicle, but then ran away when he saw a police officer approach. Police caught Muscatello after chasing him for several hundred yards. Muscatello also waived his right to preliminary hearings in two other cases on Monday. In the first case, Richland Township police charged Muscatello with retail theft for allegedly walking out of Walmart in Town Centre Plaza on May 20 with computer equipment and a vacuum valued at $936.97. Police said they identified Muscatello through surveillance video. In the second case, Richland police charged Muscatello with retail theft after he allegedly made off with $374.93 in video games from Best Buy at Town Centre Plaza on June 6.Again, police identified Muscatello through surveillance video. Muscatello is being held at SCI-Somerset. Patrick Buchnowski is a reporter with The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @PatBuchnowskiTD. ___ (c)2014 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at www.tribune-democrat.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |