Brawl at Manor Care Results in Disorderly Conduct Charges

It started off as a simple attempt to get coffee, but it resulted in a 75-year-old being cited with disorderly conduct after a fist-fight.

Pottstown Police responded to 724 N. Charlotte St., on March 7 for a report of a fight. Employees of the senior care facility called in borough police when Phillip Thomas, 75, a Manor Care patient, met up with another Manor Care patient at the coffee machine.

One employee reported that a fight had begun when Thomas told the other patient that he "needed to in a nut house.” Thomas then punched the patient in the face, after he’d attempted to walk away.

“[Thomas] claimed that he felt threatened and that he defended himself,” said the police report.

Thomas also told police he’d killed three people in the past, and had served time for one of the murders. He noted he'd also been a boxer in his past.

“Thomas also advised that he would injure or kill anyone who he felt was threatening him, be it [the punch victim] or another resident or even a police officer,” said the report.

Police said he later calmed and apologized, and that police passed that apology along to the victim of Thomas’ punch, which had resulted in a small cut. The victim said he did not want to press charges, and only wanted to be “left alone.”

Police, however, determined that the fight in a public space of the facility would result in disorderly conduct charges. Employees later met to determine Thomas’ needs, and decided upon moving him.

According to reports, police found that Thomas had been moved to the psychiatric ward of Eagleville Hospital. Staff also had reached out to multiple centers that “who would be better equipped to handle someone of Thomas’ needs," said the report.