Towamencin Police Photo by James Short.
A Towamencin man was charged this month with numerous misdemeanor offenses involving reckless endangerment of four people and assault after a struggle involving a handgun and pit bull.
Thomas Nathaniel Gray, 39, of an apartment on the 1100 block of Welsh Road, Lansdale, was charged Aug. 7 with misdemeanor unlawful restraint causing serious bodily injury, four misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, misdemeanor simple assault, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and harassment, according to charging documents.
Gray is free on $50,000 unsecured bail, per court records.
On July 31, at 7:43 p.m., police were dispatched to West Main Apartments for a verbal fight involving Gray, who, police allege, has a history of mental health issues. Firearms were also reported at the residence, but locked in a cabinet.
Police said, upon arrival, a roommate met police at the front door of the apartment building, who was carrying a handgun in his waistband. Per the report, Gray was saying that someone was trying to kill him. The roommate was carrying the gun from the cabinet, police said, for concern that Gray would access other guns in the cabinet.
As police entered the hallway, a large pit bull ran out of the apartment, and police closed a hallway door after the dog, they allege, tried to bite an officer’s leg. A resident secured the dog inside the apartment, but Gray let the dog out again, police said.
Police said officers had to close the door to avoid being attacked. The dog was leashed, and when Gray refused to talk to police in the hallway, police entered the apartment, per the report.
When asked to talk in the hallway, Gray began to talk with his mouth closed, police allege, as if he was mumbling incoherently. Police told Gray multiple times they could not understand him, and then he began having a conversation with two people who were not in the room, per the affidavit.
Gray responded, “I’m going to do that in a second and it’s going to be all over the wall in front of him while doing this,” police said. Then, Gray said again, “I’m going to do that in a second and it’s going to be all over with,” police allege.
Gray refused to be seen by EMS, and then walked out of his room and sat on the couch in the living room.
Speaking incoherently to the housemate, Gray put his arm around the victim’s neck, stated “Guess what, we’re going to die,” to which the victim replied, “We’re not going to die,” police said.
Suddenly, police allege, Gray starts to attempt to unleash the dog’s collar and wraps his arm quickly around the victim’s neck and grabbed his own left arm to make the grip tighter, in effect, creating a sleeper hold.
Police told Gray numerous times to let go of the man, but he refused, per the complaint. One officer grabbed Gray’s right arm with both hands to remove the grip, police said.
Another officer drew his taser and pointed it at Gray, per the affidavit. At this time, the dog became more agitated and aggravated with all the yelling, and moved closer to an officer, police said.
The dog became loose in the apartment after Gray disconnected the leash, police said, and the man being attacked lost his grip on the collar during the struggle.
As the two men struggled, one officer pointed a taser at the dog and another officer drew his baton, per the affidavit. During the struggle, Gray, police said, attempted to take the firearm from the holster on the man’s back numerous times, but was unsuccessful.
Both officers deployed their tasers simultaneously; Gray fell to the ground immediately. A third officer deployed his taser into the dog as it began to run at him, police said. The dog collapsed and began running around toward the other officers, police said.
Police said Gray actively resisted arrest and would not listen to commands. Once another officer removed the victim and the dog from the apartment, then police were able to take Gray into custody, per the affidavit.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
