An inmate from the Centre County Correctional Facility escaped Thursday afternoon while completing outdoor volunteer work along Fishburn Hill Road, according to a release issued by Pennsylvania State Police at Rockview.
Larry Allen Thomas, 40, was last seen operating a weed trimmer at about 1:45 p.m. on a property along the Benner Twp. road, police said.
When he was checked on a half-hour later, police said that his supervisor found the weed trimmer on the ground and an orange jumpsuit tucked under an outside home heating oil tank.
Thomas is described as a white male who is 5-foot-6 and 200 pounds, with brown hair, green eyes and a goatee, police said. He also speaks with a southern accent, police said.
Thomas may be wearing a white T-shirt or orange sweatshirt, but police said a description of his pants is unknown.
Police reported that Thomas recently received word from his fiancée that she was “in fear” and informed him that she and her daughter were going to take refuge in a shelter.
In response to his fiancée’s concerns, Thomas requested a furlough — or leave of absence from prison — in order to aid his family, police said. While he waited for the response to the request, police said he spoke with his counselor and said he wanted to continue working outside to “make the time pass.”
Thomas is serving time in prison after he pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and unlawfully killing or taking a big game animal outside of season, among other charges, police said.
Anyone with information on Thomas or his whereabouts is asked to contact 9-1-1 or contact the Pennsylvania State Police at 814-355-7545.
