PARADISE TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— State police have a man in custody they say spat and swung a wooden board at state police.
Around 10:15 p.m. Sunday night, state police say they responded to the report of a man swinging a 2×4 at passing traffic at the intersection of Woodland Drive and Route 611 in Paradise Township.
Troopers said they arrived on the scene and found Christopher Simpson, seemingly under the influence of a controlled substance, swinging a wooden board at a generator.
Law enforcement say they told Simpson to put the board down, but instead of putting it down, troopers said Simpson aimed the wooden board at them as if it were a rifle.
State police said they told Simpson to put the board down again and would use force against him if he didn’t. Simpson once again allegedly refused to put the board down and started swinging the board at troopers.
State police said they then used a stun gun on Simpson which did not have the “desired effect.” Simpson continued to swing his board at responding troopers and got tased a second time, dropping to the ground, police said.
Troopers say they then attempted to put cuffs on Simpson but struggled when he refused to let go of the board.
PSP got the board out of his hands and say Simpson tried to grab one of the trooper’s duty belts and then spat on one of the troopers. As Simpson grabbed at the belt, state troopers said they used “substantial force” to arrest Simpson.
Troopers said that included, “disorienting strikes, joint locks, and directed pressure.”
Once in custody, state police say they seized 95 fake $100 bills and had to transport Simpson to the emergency room for evaluation.
Simpson is now being held in the Monroe County prison on a $100,000 cash bail.
