CLEARFIELD – A patient who left a local hospital has been accused of getting into a scuffle with police when they attempted to take him into custody in an active construction site.
Steven F. Allen, 37, of Clearfield has been charged by Sgt. James Glass of the Lawrence Township police with aggravated assault, F2; resisting arrest, M2, two counts; recklessly endangering another person, M2; disorderly conduct, M3; defiant trespass, M3; and simple assault, M2, two counts.
Allen waived his right to a preliminary hearing during centralized court Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail. His bail has been set at $50,000 monetary.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, at approximately 12:21 a.m. Sept. 7, Clearfield Borough police officers Alex Burkett and Shawn Fye were dispatched after a report about a mental health patient leaving the Clearfield Penn Highlands Hospital.
Clearfield County Control advised police the patient was Allen. He had left in a hospital gown but also had a bag with his own clothing. Borough police were previously dispatched on a prior shift for Allen reportedly leaving the hospital and were aware he was committed on a 302 warrant.
When borough officers arrived at the hospital, they spoke with security. Security officers said Allen was last seen in the construction area just below the hospital, the area of the former Clearfield Middle School. This area was enclosed by fencing with it being an active construction site due to the demolition of the school building.
Borough officers requested assistance from township officers Charles Marshall and Levi Olson. Burkett and Fye searched the exterior of the fencing until Marshall and Olson arrived at the scene.
Hospital security then advised the officers they had a visual of Allen in the construction site near the northern border. Police proceeded to enter the construction site by stepping over the barrier rope. When they met with security officers, they said there wasn’t a visual of Allen any longer.
Officers began searching the perimeter of the site in an effort to observe Allen. Fye and Olson remained outside the fencing while Burkett and Marshall were searching inside it.
The construction site contained large pieces of steel and other materials, large craters, exposed foundation from the building, machinery and large mounds of dirt.
During the search, Marshall radioed that he had a visual of Allen, and they were on the northern part of the site. Burkett could hear Marshall giving Allen verbal commands to “show your hands and get on the ground.” Burkett began running to Marshall’s location.
As Burkett approached, he observed Allen, who was wearing sweatpants and without a shirt. He was fleeing from Marshall and screaming, “I’m not going back.” Burkett could hear Marshall ordering Allen to stop because he was under arrest.
Burkett then observed Allen fall to the ground and roll over onto his back. He was flailing his legs toward Marshall, who was approaching him. Allen tried to get to his feet when Marshall became “hands on” with him. Allen immediately began resisting by swinging his arms and legs in a combative motion, according to the affidavit.
When Burkett approached Allen, he began to control his head and left arm. Allen allegedly began swinging his hands toward Burkett’s face and pushing him away. He was actively rolling and attempting to strike Burkett, police said.
Both Burkett and Marshall were giving Allen orders to “stop resisting.” Burkett continued to give commands while Allen continued to resist and scream that he didn’t want “the aliens to get him.” He also “needed the police” because Burkett and Marshall “were attempting to kill him.”
Because he’d been struck several times by Allen’s flailing arms, Burkett used “body strikes” to Allen’s left side in an attempt to gain control. Burkett also attempted to reach for his duty taser from his belt but was unable to with Allen grabbing onto his duty belt with his right hand and holding onto his (Burkett’s) right arm with his left hand.
Burkett said Allen’s head was in the area of his inner right thigh, and he believed it was an attempt to bite him. He was able to break Allen’s grip on his right hand and began to strike Allen in an attempt to gain control of him.
It took officers several minutes, but they were able to, and Allen wasn’t in a position to swing his arms and legs at them. Burkett and Marshall kept him in this position until Fye and Olson approached them.
Then, Allen allegedly began to resist and struggle more with police. Officers were able to handcuff Allen behind his back. Fye and Olson transported him to the emergency room for treatment of injuries he sustained in the struggle.
Marshall also had a medical evaluation, which determined he had a broken finger. It was allegedly sustained when he attempted to block one of several kicks that Allen directed toward him.
Once Allen was cleared medically at the hospital, Pennsylvania State Constables arrived at the hospital. Allen was taken into custody and to DuBois for further mental health treatment.
