WB man runs out of police department after being charged with stalking estranged wife

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JENKINS TWP. — A Wilkes-Barre man after being arraigned via video conference on allegations he stalked his estranged wife ran out of the Jenkins Township Police Department on Friday.

Shane Eric Howell, 37, of Brogan Street, ran out the front doors of the police department that initiated a second search for him in two days, according to court records.

Howell was eventually captured after police set up a perimeter near the police department.

Court records described the events that began Wednesday.

Police were summoned to a brush fire on Passan Drive that was extinguished by Jenkins Township firefighters early Wednesday morning.

As firefighters were battling the brush fire, gunshots were heard in a wooded area and a Ford F150 pick-up truck was parked nearby.

Police said they observed shotgun shells, a ballistic vest and fireworks inside the Ford.

Police later learned the Ford was registered to a man who resides in Scott Township, Columbia County, but is employed by a paving company in Jenkins Township.

The owner of the Ford told police he loaned his Ford to Howell, who was expected to use the vehicle to drive home.

Police in court records say the brush fire was near the residence of Howell’s estranged wife, who has an active protection-from abuse order against him.

The woman told police she spotted a drone flying outside her home windows and found a tracking device on her vehicle. She further reported she was at a restaurant in Old Forge and Howell had blocked her vehicle with a Ford pick-up truck, court records say.

Police initiated a search for Howell who was eventually captured near Francis Slocum State Park in Kingston Township by the Pennsylvania State Police on Wednesday.

After Howell was arraigned via video by Kingston Township District Judge Brian Tupper on charges of stalking, loitering and prowling at night, disorderly conduct and unauthorized use of a vehicle on Friday, he was being prepared to be transported to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $75,000 bail, court records say.

Police in court records say Howell ran out the front doors of the police department and was captured after a brief search.

Howell was further charged with escape and evading arrest.

Howell was arraigned Monday on the escape charges by District Judge Michael Dotzel of Wilkes-Barre Township who jailed him without bail at the county correctional facility.