A man who was taken to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown for treatment fled into the lake at Core Creek Park Saturday afternoon.
Bucks County Park Rangers, Langhorne police, Middletown police, firefighters and medics worked for roughly an hour and a half to try to take the 29-year-old Yardley man in custody as he swam, dove underwater and squirmed away in Lake Luxembourg, authorities said.
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According to law enforcement, hospital staff said the man was brought to the emergency room as an apparent intoxicated patient around 1 p.m. At roughly 2:45 p.m., he fled the emergency room with hospital staff following close behind. The man ended up at nearby Core Creek Park and ended up going in the lake at the crowded park to elude capture.
After boat rental staff was not able to reel the man in, park rangers and police officers rushed to the scene and summoned fire department boats from Northampton and Yardley.
Four boats with law enforcement and medics inside surrounded the man and tried multiple times to get him into custody.
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Finally, the man was handcuffed to a boat and a medic was able to prick him with a sedative, said Steve Long, chief of the Bucks County Park Rangers.
The man was then taken in to custody and transported back to the hospital under police escort, Long said. Middletown police Chief Joe Bartorilla said his officers escorted the man back to the hospital without incident.
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Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company Chief Frank Farry said his department had a large amount of manpower at the park to assist.
The park was packed at the time of the incident. Park-goers reportedly lined the shores as emergency responders worked to take the man from the lake.
No injuries were reported.
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Long said the man is expected to face summary charges.
