The runaway patient from St. Mary’s Medical Center had one misdemeanor and multiple summary charges filed against him this week.
Gregory Morten, 29, of Yardley, was charged with one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and summary charges of public drunkenness, swimming, resisting a park ranger, alcohol in a county park, hindering employees and personal conduct. He was charged via summons by Bucks County Park Rangers.
Advertisements
According to rangers, they received a call shortly after 2:40 p.m. on Saturday that notified them that a patient of the hospital, who was wearing a hospital gown, had “sprinted full speed out of the trauma unit” towards Core Creek Park in Middletown.
When officers arrived, a doctor notified them that Morten had been admitted to the hospital around 1 p.m. and was severely intoxicated, with a BAC of .357. The doctor pointed police to Morten’s presence in Lake Luxembourg and police sought a rental boat in an effort to rescue him, according to court papers.
As noted in a probable cause affidavit, it was clear that Morten did not want to be rescued when officers said he was swimming away from the boat that officers were using. Rangers sought help from various local fire and police departments in the incident. Throughout, Morten was allegedly telling authorities, “I just want to swim,” with slurred speech.
Advertisements
Steve Long, chief of the Bucks County Park Rangers, told LevittownNow.com on Saturday that Morten was doing the back stroke at one point.
Police recorded in court documents it was after Morten lied and told police he would swim to shore that he stripped out of his hospital gown and was completely naked.
Advertisements
Morten continued to swim and evade police for approximately two hours before a marine unit was able to surround him without watercraft, sedate him and bring him into custody.
Officers noted a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Morten’s breath at the time of his arrest.
Morten preliminary hearing is set for July 16.
Advertisements
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
