One week of freedom may come at a high price for Sean Scott Farren.
The 20-year-old Sequim resident was charged with second-degree escape in Clallam County Superior Court on Thursday after police said he fled in handcuffs from a county drug court courtroom Jan. 21. He was arrested early Thursday morning at an apartment in Sequim.
Farren — who originally had been charged with participating in one of two night-deposit thefts in October and using his ex-wife’s debit card — fled after a judge told him he would be held in jail after failing to comply with his drug court program, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
“He was handcuffed in front, and then the guy bolted from the courtroom,” said Sheriff Bill Benedict.
From the Clallam County Courthouse, he ran north on Lincoln Street to a car that drove him away, according to court documents.
Getaway likely planned
The incident likely came as no surprise to the unidentified driver, said Benedict and Undersheriff Ron Peregrin, who both think that the getaway was planned.
“We think that he had an idea . . . that the judge was going to give him some bad news,” said the undersheriff, who added that the court security officer gave chase but could not catch him.
Before Thursday, Farren was facing charges of possession of stolen property, two counts of second-degree theft and a count of third-degree theft.
The alleged escape could add up to five years in prison to any sentence he may receive from the other charges if convicted.
He also will lose access to the drug court program, which he agreed to follow in order to face lesser penalties from one of the two thefts he allegedly committed last fall.
Night-deposit thefts
Farren has been charged in Clallam County Superior Court for allegedly participating in one of two night deposit thefts in October and allegedly using his ex-wife’s debit card.
According to court documents, police said Farren stole a McDonald’s deposit bag containing $1,045.58 on Oct. 13 from an employee making the late-night deposit at a Sequim Bank of America branch.
Police said the employee, Jeremy Gelisee, was in on the theft, which was disguised as a robbery.
The 27-year-old Gelisee was arrested on investigation of the theft, along with Tyler A. Gordeuk, 19.
Police also believe that Gordeuk, the alleged getaway driver for that theft, filled the same role in another fast-food deposit theft Oct. 16.
Gordeuk allegedly drove Kyle J. Phipps from the scene after the 21-year-old allegedly robbed a deposit bag from a Tootsie’s employee who was making a deposit at Kitsap Bank in Sequim. The Tootsie’s employee is not believed to have been involved.
Gordeuk and Phipps will both face trial March 15.
Gorduek’s trial on charges stemming from the Oct. 13 theft will begin the same day.
Farren’s trials for the thefts he is charged with were to begin last Monday.
Gelisee agreed Wednesday to community service in exchange for his charges of second-degree malicious mischief and making false statements being dismissed.
Benedict said the courtroom had the appropriate amount of security when Farren allegedly fled, adding the Sheriff’s Office can never be “100 percent sure” it can keep someone from running.
“We would have to be a police state” to prevent everyone from fleeing the courtroom, he said.
Benedict estimated two people run from the courtroom every five years.
He said he couldn’t recall anyone escaping custody, meaning they fled after being booked into Clallam County jail.
Escape from patrol car
That wouldn’t include an incident last November, where a suspect, Christopher R. Ahlstedt, escaped from a deputy’s patrol car.
He had kicked the back window out while the deputy had returned to the inside of Ahlstedt’s home.
Ahlstedt was arrested Dec. 5 in Oregon.
He allegedly was involved in a string of construction site thefts in the Sequim area and has been charged with possession of stolen property in the first degree and second- degree trafficking of stolen property.
Ahlstedt pleaded not guilty to the charges last month, and his trial has been set for Feb. 8.
On Jan. 19, a woman escaped from a State Patrol vehicle in Clallam Bay while handcuffed.
Amanda L. Leiza, 26, of Neah Bay — who was arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated and because of several warrants — was en route to Port Angeles near the junction of state Highway 112 and state Highway 113 when she escaped.
She had asked for some tissues and ran when the trooper got out of his the car to offer her some.
Leiza was caught about an hour later after a couple reported she had come to their home asking for help.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 11.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
