MIDDLETOWN, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.–A Harrisburg man who police say was high on meth and cocaine is facing charges after he punched and spat on officers in Middletown earlier this week.
Michael C. Morton, 29, is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and harassment. He was arraigned Thursday morning and taken to Dauphin County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The incident unfolded shortly before 6 p.m. on Wednesday when Middletown police officers responded to the 900 block of Vine Street for a report of a suspicious male.
Officers met with Morton at the scene who appeared agitated and initially refused to identify himself, according to the criminal complaint. Morton’s behavior became erratic as he explained to police that he was trying to get his stuff at his boyfriend’s house when two men came at him with baseball bats near Frey Avenue, according to court documents.
When officer’s asked for his boyfriend’s address, he said he didn’t’ know the exact number and then started yelling “1, 2, 3, 4” over and over, court documents state.
Police observed Morton’s lips were white and dry, and he kept licking his lips, according to court documents.
Morton refused to get in the patrol car after officer’s asked for him to identify the house. Instead, Morton said he would walk over. Officers eventually found the house and learned that Morton was no longer welcome and a bag of his clothes was returned.
Morton was nowhere to be found and as police attempted to locate him, they were flagged down by passing motorists who said he was dancing and pirouetting in traffic on Vine Street.
As officers attempted to stop Morton, he continued to run and dance away, stating they were not real cops, according to the criminal complaint. Police say Morton was acting extremely erratic at this point, while running in and out of traffic and yelling.
Morton hit and spat on officers while trying runaway as they were attempting to take him into custody, according to court documents. Eventually, police tasered Morton and he continued to resist arrest. After several minutes, he stopped fighting and admitted to taking a large amount of Methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
He was taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center to be checked out. Prior to being discharged, police asked if he had any diseases and Morton admitted to being HIV-positive.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 1.
