Allentown man high on PCP insists he needs ‘real police’, fights state troopers, hospital security
Bethlehem, PA June 30 2020
An Allentown man who authorities say was under the influence of PCP fought with state troopers early Sunday after complaining they were not “real police” and later assaulted troopers and hospital security at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, according to court records.
George Edwin Stokes, 53, of the 500 block of North 11th Street, faces three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of simple assault, two counts of resisting arrest and a single count of disorderly conduct. He was sent to Lehigh County Jail under $40,000 bail.
Stokes called police to report an assault about 3 a.m. Sunday while he was staying at the Days Hotel on Airport Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Police met Stokes at the hotel and he told them he’d been assaulted by an unknown person and showed police what they determined was an old injury to his upper back.
Stokes told troopers he smoked a cigarette dipped in PCP. He refused any medical attention for his injury and told troopers he wanted to speak to the “real police.” When Stokes refused to cooperate any further, the troopers left the scene.
They were called back at 4:41 a.m. when Stokes called 911 again, requesting the “real police” respond to the hotel. Troopers tried to make contact with Stokes, but he refused to let them into his room and warned them they’d be in trouble.
“The real police are coming, you’d better leave,” Stokes told the troopers.
State police cleared the scene once more since they were unable to reach Stokes and he wasn’t committing a crime.
But they were back at the hotel within the next 20 minutes, when Days Hotel staff called for help after Stokes showed up in the hotel lobby and was disturbing guests. Shirtless and carrying a lighter and bed sheet, Stokes again warned troopers to leave before the “real police” arrived. He told troopers that he wanted EMS to respond to provide the medical supplies he needed to treat himself, but said he’d refuse to go to the hospital.
Troopers called EMS to the hotel to check on Stokes but as they waited, the 53-year-old grew agitated, the court record continue. Stokes went outside the hotel and tried to light a plant decoration on fire. When a state trooper tried to take the lighter, he raised his fists to fight. The trooper displayed his taser and Stokes used the bed sheet to cover his body.
He then told police he was going to take one of the squad cars and drive himself to the hospital. He tried the door handle of a locked state police car several times before heading back toward the hotel.
Once an ambulance arrived, Stokes refused to go to the hospital, insisting the vehicle was not real. EMS asked police to detain Stokes because of “heightened delusional behavior” and refusal to follow commands.
Stokes fought the state troopers trying to bring him into custody. He elbowed one trooper in the face and threw another into the rear of a car, injuring both. Attempts to use a stun gun on Stokes were unsuccessful because of his impairment.
Eventually police tackled Stokes and administered a dose of ketamine to sedate him and take him to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg.
On Sunday afternoon, police informed Stokes that he was going to be placed under arrest for aggravated assault, the court records continue.
“I’m not going. This is going to be a struggle,” he told police.
Stokes lunged at police trying to detain him. Efforts to stun him with a stun gun had little to no effect and he continued to fight with authorities.
LVH security came to troopers’ aid and Stokes was taken to the ground. But he continued to struggle and bit the hand of a hospital security guard, breaking skin.
Police and security struggled for about 10 minutes to bring Stokes under control. He was arrested, arraigned and taken to the county jail.
The Morning Call
