Dollar General Stabbing Suspect Escapes Court in Handcuffs

A wild scene played out in the Hudson Valley that included a stabbing, two manhunts and a brazen escape.

On Wednesday, police were called to Dollar General after receiving reports of a stabbing. A victim was said to be suffering from a "deep stab wound" in their upper left abdomen. According to authorities, the stabbing occurred just before 4:30pm at the Dollar General on Route 209 in the Village of Ellenville.

As first responders were treating the victim, police conducted a thorough sweep of the area in search of the suspect. The Ellenville Police Department says a K-9 unit was employed to follow the alleged attacker's scent, leading them to an apartment on Mill Street. A search of an apartment building resulted in finding the suspect, Jordan Coffey, hiding in a closet.

After being taken into custody with the assistance of the New York State Police, officers transported Coffey to the Ellenville Police Department for processing. The 23-year-old Ellenville man was charged with Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony.

Brazen Escape From Custody in Ellenville

After processing, Coffey was handcuffed and taken to Shawangunk court in Wallkill at 10:30pm. The suspect was arraigned and remanded to jail with a cash bail of $50,000.

At some point after the arraignment, police say Coffey was able to pull his handcuffs over his legs and run out of the courtroom. Still handcuffed, the suspect fled down the street with officers following on foot.

Coffey successfully evaded law enforcement for 45 minutes. A K-9 unit was once again called in to help track the 23-year-old man down. After capturing Coffey for the second time, police added an additional charge of Escape and sent him to the Ulster County Jail with no bail.

Ellenville Stabbing Victim's Condition

The 20-year-old stabbing victim was moved to the intensive care unit after undergoing surgery for his deep stab wound. Police say he is in stable condition and is expected to survive.