Ready for trial, defendant doesn’t show

The judge was ready. The jury was in place. The prosecutor and defense counsel were also ready to go.

The only thing missing from the courtroom of Carbon County Judge Steven R. Serfass for the trial to begin was the defendant.

Joshua Peter Correll, 36, of Albrightsville, was scheduled to go on trial on Tuesday on charges of workers’ compensation insurance fraud and theft by deception. The charges were filed by the office of the Attorney General for an incident occurring around June 13, 2011.

But Correll failed to show for the trial.

On Monday jury selection was scheduled to begin at 1:15 p.m. before Serfass. Around 1 p.m. Correll left the courtroom, indicating he would be back. He did not return. The jury panel was picked and the trial scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday.

On Tuesday Correll failed to appear, and prosecutor Deputy Attorney General Kenneth L. McDaniels requested a bench warrant be issued for his arrest. Serfass agreed and issued the warrant. Serfass dismissed the jury until 1:15 p.m. while sheriff deputies went to Correll’s home to try to find him. He could not be found.

Serfass then agreed to have the jury return at 9 a.m. Wednesday to start the trial and give court-appointed defense attorney Matthew G. Schnell time to try to contact his client and have him appear. Correll failed to appear again.

Serfass then discharged the jury from further service. The bench warrant issued Tuesday is still in effect and Correll is being sought by authorities.