Deputies Notice Escape Attempt While Eating Lunch, Catch Suspects

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two Allegheny County Sheriff's deputies thwarted an escape attempt Monday when they happened to be in the right place at the right time.

The Allegheny County Sheriff's Office says Sgt. Tom Ninehouser and Deputy Jon Monaco were eating lunch at the Pittsburgh Municipal Courts building when they noticed two men going down the back stairwell of the Renewal Inc. transitional housing building on Second Avenue.

The deputies realized the two men were trying to escape and ran after the men. They caught up to them at the base of the stairwell and asked what they were doing.

Officials say 36-year-old Chad St. Clair, of Smithfield, told the deputies he wanted to "go back to jail" and surrendered.

While St. Clair was surrendering, the second man -- identified as 36-year-old Matthew Comer, of Pittsburgh -- attempted to flee. He and Deputy Monaco got into a "brief scuffle," but the deputy was able to take Comer into custody.

Deputy Monaco was injured in the scuffle. He was treated at a medical facility and released.

St. Clair and Comer had both been housed at the Renewal Inc. building in compliance with their probation/parole. St. Clair had previously pled guilty to a robbery charge, and Comer had pled guilty to a federal firearms violation.

Both were transported to the Pittsburgh Municipal Courts building were held while new charges in connection to Monday's incident were filed.