Press Enterprise | By Susan Schwartz
BERWICK — An alleged heroin dealer assumed a fighting stance and tried to wrestle away an officer's gun when he was caught late Monday, police say.
Police had been looking for Robert Quincy "Q" Brown, 26, since March 27, when they filed charges against him for allegedly selling heroin to an informant at his apartment at 547 Green St. here.
But since then, Brown had moved — officers said they didn't know where.
A little after midnight Monday morning, police said they saw Brown and an unidentified man crossing Scanlan Street from the alley between West Front Street and Spring Garden Avenue.
A few blocks away, witnesses had reported earlier that two men had attacked a third man in a vehicle, so police stopped to check if the two pedestrians might be the alleged attackers.
But as officers approached, the two men jumped a fence into a backyard and fled.
False name alleged
Here's what charges say happened next:
Ptlm. Brandon Shultz chased Brown, who finally stopped in a yard near the alley between Fairview and Spring Garden avenues.
Brown took a fighting stance and took a swing at the officer.
Shultz wrestled him to the ground, but that's where Brown grabbed Shultz's gun in an attempt to disarm him.
Brown continued to fight until a second officer arrived.
Once in custody, Brown identified himself as Andrew Billy Thomas, even though police recognized him.
He stoutly maintained the false identity even while looking at his wanted poster. Officers confirmed his identity through tattoos, scars and photos.
Brown was originally charged with two counts of selling heroin. Now he faces additional charges of aggravated assault, attempting to disarm an officer, fleeing police, resisting arrest, and false identification.
He was arraigned before District Judge Richard Knecht and sent to Columbia County Prison after failing to post $100,000 bail.
His preliminary hearing is 2:15 p.m. June 21.
Court papers did not mention what happened to the second man who ran from police.
