Two members of an Idaho white supremacist prison gang are set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Monday. The individuals involved include an inmate, Skylar Meade, and Nicholas Umphenour, who is accused of aiding Meade's escape in an armed ambush at a Boise hospital. Additionally, Tia Garcia, who allegedly provided the vehicle used during the 36-hour escape, will also be present at the hearing.
Meade and Umphenour have been charged in the escape, with Umphenour facing additional charges of aggravated battery on an officer and using a deadly weapon during the ambush. Both individuals are being held on $2 million bail and are also suspected in the deaths of two men in Clearwater and Nez Perce counties.
The victims have been identified as James L. Mauney, 83, and Gerald Don Henderson, 72. Henderson had previously taken Umphenour in for a month during his late teens. Authorities believe that Meade and Umphenour stole Mauney's minivan to travel to the Twin Falls area where they were eventually arrested.
Officials have linked Meade and Umphenour to the Aryan Knights white supremacist prison gang, which has been described as a significant issue in Idaho's penitentiary system. Meade was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff's sergeant, while Umphenour had been released in January after serving time for theft and gun convictions.
The escape attempt occurred in the early hours of March 20 at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, where Meade was brought for treatment after injuring himself. During the attack on corrections officers, two officers were wounded, and a third was mistakenly shot by responding police officers. Fortunately, all are expected to recover.
Another individual, Tonia Huber, has also been charged in connection with the escape for driving the truck Meade was in when he was apprehended. Huber faces charges of harboring a fugitive, eluding police, and drug possession.
