By Stacy Wolford

Published: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 2:11 a.m.
Updated: Thursday, March 14, 2013

A Roscoe man already facing drug and escape charges was accused Wednesday of stealing the handcuffs he was wearing the night he slipped out of a police cruiser.

Ramsey Hyslop, 46, of 913 Arthur St., waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Larry Hopkins in Charleroi on charges of possession and manufacture of a controlled substance (suspected heroin), possession of drug paraphernalia, flight to avoid apprehension, and escape.

He was ordered to stand trial in Washington County Court.

RESA Police Officer Michael Leasure amended the criminal complaint to include a charge of theft by unlawful taking related to the handcuffs. RESA officers arrested Hyslop Feb. 13 on drug charge-related bench warrants from Washington and Fayette counties.

Hyslop possessed two bricks of suspected heroin (more than 140 stamp bags) and drug paraphernalia, Leasure claimed in a criminal complaint.

After Hyslop was handcuffed behind his back and placed in the rear of a police cruiser, the officers returned to the residence to question Hyslop's girlfriend, Cheryl Bartus, 68.

That's when, as one witness told police, Hyslop pulled the handcuffs under his legs and feet, allowing his hands to go in front of his body.

Police suggested that Hyslop slid between the Plexiglas partition that divides the front and back seats, opened the front door and took off. Hyslop surrendered May 1 to police at the Blue Flame Restaurant in Jefferson Hills.

Hyslop is facing charges in Fayette County stemming from an alleged incident April 5 in Uniontown.

Uniontown police charged him with driving without a license, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A bench warrant was issued after he failed to appear for a preliminary hearing Nov. 1 before Magisterial District Judge Randy Abraham in Uniontown. Hyslop was returned to the Washington County Correctional Facility in lieu of $250,000 bond.

Bartus was charged with manufacture or possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She waived her right to a preliminary hearing Feb. 12 and is awaiting trial. A charge of hindering apprehension has been withdrawn.

Stacy Wolford is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-684-2640 or at swolford@tribweb.com.

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