Columbiana jail escapees broke open jail door lock

LISBON — Four prisoners broke out of the Columbiana County Jail by smashing a lock on a steel door.

Sheriff David Smith said Tuesday that breaking the lock allowed the prisoners to leave the jail area and access to a closet that contained a shaft containing wiring and plumbing. The four apparently climbed the shaft to the jail roof and jumped to the ground Monday morning.

The men were apprehended about 1:30 p.m. Monday in Bellevue, Pa.

Just what was used to break the lock and why it was in the jail is under investigation, Smith said,

Allen Haueter, Smith’s chief deputy, said it was the first major escape at the jail since it opened about 11 years ago.

The jail, west of Lisbon, is owned by the county and houses the sheriff’s and coroner’s offices. The facility, however, is run by CiviGenics Inc. of Milford, Mass., which operates some 11 jails in Texas and Ohio.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.