State trooper dragged by off-road four-wheeler

A state trooper was dragged at least 10 yards by an off-road vehicle when he tried to pull a 23-year-old man off the four-wheeler in Hereford Township, state police said Wednesday.

Troopers from the Reading station were called about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday to the home in the 3300 block of Seisholtzville Road, in a remote wooded area about 3.5 miles southeast of Bear Creek Mountain Resort, for a report of an agitated man in possession of a firearm and operating an off-road vehicle.

Investigators gave this account:

When troopers arrived, they spotted Eric C. Moyer, 23, on the back porch of his residence. As troopers got out of their vehicles, Moyer ran to the vehicle, started it and headed for the wood line. The vehicle had an enclosed driver’s compartment.

Two troopers, Nathan Klinger and Joshua Gresh, chased him onto a dirt trail that goes along a pond on the property. Moyer turned around when he reached a dead end and started back down the trail toward the troopers.

The two troopers tried to block his path, and Moyer stopped the vehicle nearby. Both troopers tried to remove Moyer. Klinger opened the door and grabbed onto Moyer.

Klinger heard the engine rev, and he was dragged toward the tree line. He released his grip after 10 to 15 yards because he would have hit a tree. He was nearly run over by a rear tire.

Trooper Max Seiler was able to catch up to the vehicle, and while the door was still open, deployed his Taser and removed Moyer from the vehicle. Moyer struggled with troopers before he was taken into custody.

Troopers located a pistol under the seat of the vehicle. Upon examination, it was determined to be a pellet gun.

Moyer was committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail to await a hearing on aggravated and simple assault charges after arraignment Tuesday night before District Judge Eric J. Taylor in Reading Central Court.