Dec 5, 2016 2 min read

A Carmichaels man was admitted to WHS-Greene hospital for what authorities called mental-health issues following a fight with Cumberland Township police Saturday.

Police said they were called to the residence of Christopher M. Griedel, 30, of 311 S. Pine St., just after 4 p.m. Saturday because his family members were concerned that he might hurt himself.

Griedel allegedly was “upset and intoxicated” when police arrived and began screaming and swearing at his family and police, the criminal complaint said.

While the family was attempting to calm Griedel, he allegedly punched an officer in the chest and bit her wrist, the complaint said. Then, he attempted to leave the residence to buy more beer, which is when police arrested him for public drunkenness, the complaint said.

When police put him in the back of their patrol car, Griedel allegedly said to one of the officers, “I will put a bullet in your head and kill you.”

Police said that while they were driving him back to the station, Griedel managed to move his handcuffed hands from around his back to the front of his body, reach through a hole on the side of the vehicle’s cage and grab the shirt and jacket of the police officer who was driving.

The police officer said Griedel was trying to get him to crash the car, but he managed to pull over safely. Griedel allegedly kicked the car window twice and the officer multiple times, the complaint said. It took three officers to put a restraint belt on Griedel and get him back into the vehicle, police said.

Police transferred Griedel to Greene County Jail before taking him to the hospital, where doctors told police they would keep him for mental-health concerns, the complaint said.

Griedel was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, escape, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. His preliminary arraignment has not been scheduled.