Currently, no disciplinary action is being taken against the prisoner’s escape attempt

A week after a Towanda prison inmate escaped while traveling unaccompanied by a correctional officer, the chairman of the Bradford County Jail Board said no disciplinary action would be taken against county employees “at this time.”

At the Board of Corrections meeting on Tuesday, July 2, Sheriff Clinton “CJ” Walters answered a reporter’s questions about the escape of 30-year-old Ryan C. Kithcart, who was taken from the Bradford County Correctional Facility to the Towanda Campus of Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in an ambulance without a correctional officer on board in the early morning hours of June 25.

Ryan Kittcart

Normally, there is always a correctional officer in the ambulance when an inmate is transported to the hospital, said Walters, chairman of the prison board.

When asked why no correctional officer accompanied Kithcart to the hospital, Walters replied that this was “under review.”

Kithcart was arrested by police three days after his escape.

Walters said he was not aware of Kithcart committing any crimes during his escape.

Shortly after the meeting began, the Prison Committee entered a closed session on “political and personnel” matters, which lasted about 45 minutes.

When the meeting reopened to the public, Walters said no decisions regarding the outbreak were made during the closed session.

When asked if the prison would take remedial measures to ensure such an outbreak does not happen again, Walters replied that this would be “reviewed” and that action would be taken on the matter at the next prison board meeting, scheduled for August 8.

Kithcart was held in prison on charges of terroristic threats, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

These charges stemmed from an incident at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre where Kithcart allegedly made threats.

He was arrested by Sayre Police in the early morning hours of June 25 for the incident at Sayre Hospital.

Kithcart was then transported to Wysox District Court in the early morning hours of June 25 to face trial on the Sayre charges.

Following the arraignment, Kithcart was remanded to the county jail on $75,000 bail.

When he arrived at the prison, he was subjected to a scanning machine as part of his initial treatment as an admitted inmate.

The scan showed that Kithcart had an unknown abnormality in his abdomen.

He was then taken by ambulance to the Towanda campus of Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital for evaluation and possible treatment, but no correctional officer or other law enforcement officer was on board.

Kithcart was then released from Towanda Hospital at 6 a.m. on June 25 and was on the run for three days.

He was arrested on June 28 and arraigned in District Court that same evening on charges of fleeing and eluding.

Following his most recent arraignment, Kithcart was remanded to the county jail with an additional $200,000 added to his existing $75,000 bail.