Police corporal suffers electrical shock in Doylestown
It was a close call for veteran Police Corporal Michael Pitcher after a drug investigation he was working on ended with the 38-year-old officer being medevaced to Temple University Hospital with severe burns to his back.
"He's got a bad burn on the back, but he's conscious. He's talking, actually joking with us, but he's very lucky to be alive," said Chief McClay
Chief McClay says Corporal Pitcher was working in plainclothes in Doylestown as part of the county Narcotics Task Force operation when a suspect allegedly tried to deliver drugs near the Doylestown train station and recognized the 9-year police veteran.
“He ran, threw the narcotics on top of the train. The officer chased him for a pretty good distance, apprehended him,” Chief McClay explained.
Police say when CPL. Pitcher returned to the Doylestown train station to retrieve the drugs the suspect had tossed them on top of the train and he climbed on top of the train.
"Apparently, he thought the electric was off. It wasn't off. The transformer pulled him in which severely burned his back,' said Chief McClay.
Pitcher's brother is a detective with Lower Makefield police. He also came to the hospital with family members.
Pitcher is being held overnight for observation.CPL. Pitcher is expected to be released Wednesday morning. Police say the suspect was apprehended and the narcotics delivery was recovered. Power was cut off to the Doylestown train station and surrounding routes for about an hour or so.