McKeesport woman pleads guilty to escape from police custody
A McKeesport woman was ordered on Monday to serve at least six months in jail for escaping from police custody following an arrest last year on charges of robbery and theft from a Hempfield business.
Kristy Richele Zalac, 33, slipped out of handcuffs as she was waiting to be processed at the state police barracks in Greensburg, stole a pickup truck and fled, authorities said. She was was found about an hour later driving through Murrysville, according to court records.
Zalac pleaded guilty to felony counts of escape and theft in connection with her flight from police. She also pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and retail theft in connection with a Dec. 10 robbery and receiving stolen property from a Home Depot store on Route 30 in Hempfield.
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio sentenced Zalac to serve up to 23 months in jail. Zalac could be paroled early to an in-patient drug treatment program, the judge said.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
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