Greensburg man escapes handcuffs, walks out of city police station

A Greensburg man is being held without bail after police said he slipped out of handcuffs Saturday at the city station and walked out of the building, according to court papers.

Gerald V. Leonard, 59, is charged with escape. He had been taken into custody on an unrelated bench warrant during a suspicious death investigation at his Highland Avenue home.

Police were called there at 1:35 p.m. and found Leonard’s girlfriend, Melissa Ann Torrance, 61, dead, according to court papers. Greensburg Police Chief Shawn Denning said Torrance’s death initially appeared suspicious but an autopsy Monday revealed that it was a suspected drug overdose.

Leonard appeared to be intoxicated during an interview with police and provided several stories about his interactions with Torrance leading up to her death, according to court papers. He was taken into custody on the warrant in the 2020 drunken-driving case and was handcuffed to a holding bench at the station.

Police said he was able to free himself from the handcuffs and walk out the door. He was apprehended a short distance away on Main Street, according to court papers.

Denning said officials have added leg shackles to the holding bench to prevent future escapes. Leonard acknowledged to police that he knew he was under arrest and not permitted to leave, according to court papers. He was denied bail because of being a flight risk, according to online court records.

He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A June 16 preliminary hearing is set.