Accused Burglar Floods W.Va. Sheriff's Office in Escape Attempt

One of the three men accused of burglarizing a Snider Street apartment early Tuesday morning is facing additional charges after falsely reporting his identity to arresting officers and causing significant damage in the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office during an attempt to escape custody.

A press release from Morgantown Police Department regarding the burglary stated three suspects, Nicholas Andrew Walker, 22, of Sissonville, Anthony Houston Quinn, 24, of Grafton and Andrew Keith, 36, of Morgantown, were in custody.

Police soon found out that the man claiming to be Nicholas Walker was actually Andrew K. Trefz, 25, of Morgantown, using a fake or stolen copy of Walker's identification.

Court documents state Trefz not only provided arresting officers with Walker's name, but also signed his name on the fingerprint card and gave the same information during his arraignment on Tuesday.

Morgantown Communications Director Drew Bailey confirmed the real Walker was not involved in the crime and faces no charges. Trefz, however, gained a forgery charge in addition to the burglary.

According to court documents, Trefz remained uncooperative while at the holding facility in the sheriff's office.

A transport officer was removing Trefz's shackles to place him in a cell when he "got off the bench and attempted to escape from the holding facility by exiting the door," the criminal complaint said.

The suspect wasn't able to go far however because the door requires a key card to open, and he was unable to get out of the door.

After a few hours in the holding cell, the complaint said, security video shows water flooding out of the bathroom area of the holding cell.

It was determined the flood was caused by a broken sprinkler head that was found in the bathroom. The video shows Trefz to be the only person who entered that area of the holding cell.

Significant damage was caused as the flood took over the entire downstairs area of the building into their evidence room, where a "rare WWI French rifle sustained water damage."

Evidence coordinator Mansell Jones estimated the value of the rifle to be around $5, 000.

Trefz is currently being held at North Central Regional Jail on a $30, 000 bond for the charges of burglary, forgery to the prejudice of another and an additional $50, 000 bond for the attempt to escape custody and destruction of property charges.

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