State College man broke free, ran from officers after fight, police say

A State College man reportedly broke free of police custody several times after an alleged altercation early Tuesday.

According to the criminal complaint filed by State College police, officers were called at about 1:50 a.m. to the McDonald’s along East College Avenue for a nearby fight. Witnesses stated that a man had been sitting on his bicycle speaking with the McDonald’s manager when a group of individuals walked by along Sowers Street.

Multiple individuals appeared intoxicated, police said, and a woman in the group reported the man on the bike had made a comment toward her. Other witnesses reportedly stated otherwise, police said.

Behailu N. Streit, 26, crossed the street to confront the man, police said, attacking him and knocking him off his bike. Several of Streit’s friends reportedly attempted to remove him from the altercation, but he was able to break free and continue the attack.

Police arrived shortly after and Streit fled the scene, police said. An officer on bicycle patrol attempted to stop him near the intersection of East College and South Garner Street, but Streit was reportedly able to break the hold on his arm and continued running down East Calder Way.

The officer warned him to stop, police said, and again grabbed him behind the Lion’s Den, but Streit again reportedly broke the hold and continued to run.

He was observed running into the Pugh Street parking garage, where he again broke a hold by the officer, police said. He was eventually shocked with a Taser, but continued to resist until a second officer arrived.

A preliminary breath test showed a BAC of .16 percent, police said. Streit reportedly said he will be leaving the country in a week for four months.

Streit was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, according to court documents, and charged with misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, escape and simple assault, and summary charges of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Straight monetary bail was set at $200,000.

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 9:41 PM with the headline "State College man broke free, ran from officers after fight, police say."