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Man Slips Handcuffs And Hobble Device Two Separate Times Following Arrest

HAMPTON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A man in Hampton Township was able to slip double-locked handcuffs and a hobble device on two separate occasions following an arrest early Saturday.

Hampton Township Police responded to a call of people running through yards and screaming on Middle Road just before 6:00 a.m.

When they arrived, they spoke with Mandy Polk and Thomas Mellon Jr. Police asked Mellon to wait inside the home until another officer could arrive.

Polk then told officers that Mellon had visited her at her place of employment on Friday and she told him he was not to visit her at her home but on Saturday morning around 4:00 a.m. Mellon had entered her home, broke into her bedroom, stole her cell phone and grabbed her as she attempted to leave the home, leaving marks on her neck.

While officers spoke with Polk, Mellon had attempted to leave the home through the back door. Once officers located him, he was handcuffed and officers noticed he had bloodshot eyes and had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.

The officers then attempted to place Mellon into the police car but he resisted by straightening his legs, keeping them from closing the door. Once he was in the vehicle, he began to kick the windows in an attempt to flee.

Officers placed him in a hobble device to keep him from kicking and attempting to escape.

Once at the Hampton Township Police Station, officers processed Mellon and proceeded to take him to the Allegheny County Jail for further processing.

While on their way to Allegheny County Jail, Mellon was able to escape the hobble device, slip the handcuffs to the front of his body and began kicking the window again in another attempt to escape.

Again, Mellon was handcuffed and placed in the hobble device.

As the transport reached the Veteran's Bridge, Mellon once again escaped the hobble device and slid the handcuffs from behind his back. He then kicked one of the windows on the passenger side of the car, causing it to go down.

Mellon then attempted to escape the car and officers stopped, called for assistance from Pittsburgh Police.

He was double-handcuffed again and then transported to the Allegheny County Jail.

Mellon is facing charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal attempt, unlawful restraint, simple assault, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, loitering and prowling at nighttime, harassment, and public drunkenness.

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