COAL TOWNSHIP - Twenty minutes into a 10-day sentence in Northumberland County Prison, Ron Nahodil and 207 other inmates were evacuated while fire severely damaged the correctional facility.
After it all, he wound up spending 10 days in SCI-Coal Township, but said the time wasn't that bad.
"The staff and everyone involved did a great job, making sure everything was taken care of," Nahodil, of Coal Township, said Friday.
The contractor found himself incarcerated because he was behind on child support payments; he hadn't been paid for work he had done.
"I was sentenced to the time, which was no problem. I've had to do it before," Nahodil said.
After turning himself into the sheriff's office, Nahodil was prepared to wait in a holding cell for transport, but a sheriff's deputy did him a favor and took him right over.
"After I was processed and went through the prison intake, they put me in the solitary cell, where you have to sit for two days before being released into the general population," Nahodil said. "I wasn't in the cell 10 minutes when the fire alarm went off."
He didn't think much of it, knowing how diligent the prison staff is about fire drills, but once he left his cell, he knew it was the real deal.
"As soon as I got out, you could smell the smoke," Nahodil said. "Once outside the prison, we watched the tower and could see flames coming out of the vents."
Nahodil and the other prisoners were moved to a church across the street while prison officials worked on a plan to move inmates to another prison.
"We were in the church for about an hour as they got the police and other officers ready to transport us. I was on the second bus out of town," he said.
It was on the bus Nahodil learned of his destination.
Night and day
Once the male prisoners arrived at SCI-Coal Township, they were segregated from state prisoners, spending the first two nights sleeping on mattresses on a gym floor.
Nahodil said the difference between the county prison and state prison is like night and day.
"State prison is more modernized and cleaner," he said. "There is hot and cold running water and cabinets for your items in the cell, and the inmates keep the common area looking spotless."
Items missing
Nahodil had no problems during his time in prison; however, he encountered trouble attempting to get back his personal property after he was released.
"My clothes that I used for work is what I had on when I went in," Nahodil said. "That's what I'm trying to get back."
Among the clothing still at the prison, Nahodil said, is a $250 work jacket, $180 work boots and other items crucial to his work as a contractor.
"I've tried to get back the items, but I keep getting the runaround from the prison," Nahodil said. "Something is not right."
Lt. Jim Smink, public information officer for the Northumberland County Prison, said steps have been taken to ensure that all of the prisoners property is secure.
"The Monday after the fire, workers went through each cell, picking up all the inmates items and transported them out of the prison."
As far as the inmate's clothing, all those items have been accounted for, according to Smink and they are ready to return them to inmates who have been released.
"Anyone released can contact us at the regular prison number, 570-988-4232. We will coordinated a day and time for the person to come to the administration center and pick up their items," Smink said.
If anything, Smink said, some of the items suffered smoke and water damage, but should be okay after a wash.
"We assure everyone their property is safe and will be returned to them," Smink said.
Nahodil, though, is skeptical.
"I've tried that and stopped down, and I've gotten three different answers from people. All I want is my items back," he said.
During his last visit, Nahodil said the only thing he got back was a electric charger, and prison officials wanted him to sign a receipt that he got his personal property back.
"I refused to sign it," he said. "I didn't have all my property back."
He said inmates leaving the state prison were given the number of the Lewisburg Prison Project and forms for filing state and federal lawsuits relating to their experience with the county prison.
"A civil suit might be something to consider in order to get my property back," Nahodil said.