A West Lampeter Township man was convicted Tuesday of hiding from police – in his grandfather’s attic – while officers searched for him to serve a felony arrest warrant last year.

A local jury deliberated about 30 minutes before convicting 22-year-old Joel L. Santiago of felony flight to avoid apprehension.

Assistant District Attorney Mari Andracchio presented evidence that Santiago hid in the insulation of the attic for about an hour – until the floor collapsed beneath him into an upstairs bedroom.

Officers had just deployed a police K-9 when Santiago started moving around in the attic and caused the collapse, according to officers who testified.

Santiago ignored dozens of commands from the officers, and pleading from his grandfather to surrender, according to testimony presented by ADA Andracchio.

The floor/ceiling collapse startled the K-9 and the dog responded by biting one of the officers in the leg.

Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright will order sentence after a background investigation.

West Lampeter Township police Officer Evan Shubrooks filed charges and testified at trial.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright