Westmoreland County Prison inmate accused of trying to escape from Excela hospital

Paul Peirce, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

May 7—A Westmoreland County Prison inmate awaiting multiple hearings for illegal possession of a firearm, theft and drug-related charges is accused of trying to escape from custody.

County Detective James Williams charged Brandon Zepeda, 27, of Greensburg with escape after he allegedly attempted to run out of the emergency room at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital, where prison guards took him April 27 for treatment of an undisclosed ailment.

Two guards accompanied Zepeda to the Greensburg hospital about 5 p.m. that day when he asked to use the restroom, according to court documents. His shackles had been removed during the treatment, Williams reported.

"Not yet reshackled, the inmate took off running toward the exit doors in the emergency room," Williams wrote.

The prison guards tackled Zepeda before he made it outside "and he was resecured" before being transported back to the Hempfield lockup, Williams said.

Zepeda was arrested April 22 on multiple warrants after separate incidents in Greensburg and has been held since in the county jail on $25,000 bond.

On Sept. 23, Greensburg police arrested him on charges of disorderly conduct, illegal possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after he failed to appear at his preliminary hearing.

On Jan. 15, he was charged with stealing a 16-gauge shotgun from a North Lincoln Avenue residence and selling it at Jake's Haggle Hut on Route 30 in Hempfield. In addition to theft and illegal possession of a firearm, Greensburg police charged him with carrying a firearm without a license, flight to avoid prosecution and receiving stolen property.

According to on online court dockets, Zepeda has multiple felony drug-related convictions, which bar him from possessing firearms.

Preliminary hearings for Zepeda on all the complaints, including the new escape charge, are scheduled for May 13.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@triblive.com or via Twitter .