A Beaver County teenager suspected of fleeing from Summit Academy also is accused of stealing a nearby vehicle after his break out.

State police Friday charged Daniel Tweedlie, 16, of Beaver Falls with a felony count of theft and a misdemeanor count of escape. He has been referred to Butler County juvenile authorities.

Investigators suspect the teen June 7 fled the school for troubled teens on Herman Road in Summit Township. He allegedly stole Candee Barnes' Chevrolet Tahoe.

The vehicle, which also had the owner's personal possessions in it, was recovered June 11 in West Virginia, said Trooper Jim Long.

Barnes said she had been planning to go shopping the night before the theft, but got sidetracked and ended up leaving the vehicle unlocked. When she went to leave for work Friday morning, Barnes found her driveway empty.

“I'm pretty vigilant,” she said. “It was just one of those nights. I was going to go shopping, and I just never went, so the keys were in it as well as my purse.”

Police from West Virginia called Barnes the next day and told her that they had recovered her vehicle. It apparently had been abandoned after being involved in a hit-and-run accident, Barnes said. She said the vehicle sustained some scrapes and dents in the crash, but that none of her possessions had been stolen.

“Everything was still in the car,” Barnes said. “We don't know why.”

Barnes said she had to retrieve the items in the vehicle — her purse, keys and a firearm — herself from police in West Virginia, because a gun was among the recovered items.

She's thankful that no one was hurt in the accident that resulted in the vehicle's recovery.

“It has been a hardship, but it could have been worse,” she said. “No one was hurt.”

Still, Barnes added, she's concerned about the frequency of escapes from Summit Academy, and the possibility that more students could be coming to stay there.

“My concern is, it does seem to happen a lot around our area,” she said. “What I'm afraid of is, I've heard they're going to put a lot more students in there, and I don't think that's safe.”

Last week's escape from Summit Academy wasn't the first. On Feb. 25, state police used a helicopter to search the surrounding area after three students escaped and were believed to be on foot. Last year, an escaped teen stole a Jeep and drove 200 miles across Pennsylvania before being arrested.

Barnes said this is the first time she has been victimized by an escapee from Summit Academy, but noted that eight or nine years ago her stepdaughter, who was living next door at the time, had her vehicle stolen by an escaped student.

She wants to see better security from the academy going forward.

“I think the message is: lock it up,” Barnes said.

Barnes also wants administrators to implement a text alert system that in March the school said was being developed.

“I think the sooner the better on that,” Barnes said. “Not only would it be helpful for residents, it would be helpful for (the school) too. Everyone could keep an eye out. I think it's vitally important that they get that implemented.”

Doug Ritson, chief county probation officer, on Monday said his office was likely to file a juvenile petition against the boy by the end of the day.

It was not immediately known if the district attorney's office is asking that the teen be held at a detention facility in wake of the allegations.

Police in their charges claim that the boy is back at Summit Academy, authorities said. But academy officials decline comment.