Towamencin Township Police. Photo by James Short.
The defendant remains jailed on $25,000 cash bail.
A man who was asked by police earlier this month to collect his makeshift camp and leave the property of North Penn Water Authority for trespassing was charged with felony aggravated assault after he allegedly hit a Towamencin Police officer.
Mark Adam Berger, 38, unknown address, formerly of Souderton, and North Canton, OH, was charged Sept. 17 with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor charges of simple assault, resisting arrest and defiant trespassing, per court records.
On Sept. 17, at 1:11 p.m., police were called to the water authority headquarters at 300 Forty Foot Road, for a report of a man trespassing on the property, police said.
Officers made contact with a water authority employee who directed them to Berger, who was in the tree line along the southeast area of the property, police said. NPWA did not give permission to Berger to be on the property and requested he be removed, per the affidavit.
Berger, police said, made a makeshift camp in the woods with miscellaneous personal items strewn about. Police asked Berger to collect his items and leave the property, per the complaint.
Berger told police, “I’m a dead man walking,” police said.
After several minutes of negotiating with Berger, police told him to leave the property or he would be arrested for trespassing, per the complaint.
Berger said, “Alright, I remain silent,” police said.
As an officer moved in to place Berger under arrest, he allegedly swung his left fist and punched the officer in the right side of the head.
Berger was taken to the ground and handcuffed, police said.
The officer suffered redness and swelling around his right eye, police said.
According to court records, Berger has a preliminary hearing on Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine.
Berger remains incarcerated at Montgomery County jail on $25,000 cash bail, per court records.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
