Police Taser Man At Berwyn Train Station

A man suspected of screaming at breakfast patrons in a Berwyn cafe is facing felony charges of assaulting a police officer after an altercation at the Berwyn train station.

According to Easttown Police Jason Sims, 28,  was arrested and involuntarily committed to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation after a struggle with officers on the Eastbound platform of the Berwyn Train Station on Friday the 13th of September.

Police were called to the restaurant in the 800 block of Lancaster Avenue shortly after 9 a.m. after a restaurant employee called 9-1-1 about a man who was screaming obscenities at other patrons.

According to police the man eventaully left the restaurant but had left some papers behind. When he returned to the restaurant a few minutes later the employee stopped him from entering but returned the papers. The employee told Patch that the man grabbed her by the shoulder and held her against her will before taking the papers, described a prescriptions, and leaving.

When police arrived a few minutes later they started looking for the man in the area and eventually found a man matching the description waiting for a Philadelphia-bound train.

Police say that when an Easttown Police officer asked him if he was Sims the man said no. Police say when Sims attempted to board an arriving train he refused to comply with the officer's order to stay on the platform and he attempted to get in the train. According to police the man pushed the Easttown officer who was trying to stop from getting on the train. Police say the man thengot into a physical altercation with the Easttown officer on the platform.

A struggle ensued with the first officer and a sergeant who had arrived to back up the first officer. After what the police report describes as "several minutes" the two police officers were able to break free from the man.  Police say the officer ordered the man to lay on the ground and warned him several times that if he did not comply he would be tasered.  Police say the man refused and was shot with the taser gun.  According to police the man removed one of the two probes that had hit him in the abdomen forcing the officer to discharge a second five second charge from the taser gun. Police say the taser shots "had no affect" on the man who "stood up and again engaged police in a physical altercation while screaming 'why did you f---ing do that to me? I've been shot before, you think a Taser will work on me?"

A third Easttown officer, a Tredyffrin Police officer and an Easttown Police command Lieutenant arrived on the scene and the man was eventually handcuffed. Police say that even while handcuffed the man remained aggressive toward police and said several times (in language too graphic for publication) that he did not want to be sexually assaulted by officers. The first officer assured the  man he was not and would not be sexually assaulted by police.  A Berwyn Fire Company paramedic arrived on the scene and police say the man was given two injections of the sedative Ativan before being transported to Paoli Hospital.

Police say the man was transferred to another facility on an "involuntary psychiatric hold" (evaluation).  Sims faces felony charges related to assaulting a police officer and other charges of assault and resisting arrest.

None of the police officers or the restaurant employee were seriously injured in the altercations.