Man with knife shocked with Taser, charged with spitting on Central Berks police officer

Steven Henshaw, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·2 min read

Feb. 27—As a crowd gathered and children were getting off a school bus Monday afternoon along a busy St. Lawrence Street, a Central Berks Regional police officer deployed his Taser in an attempt to nonlethally subdue a man who stood in front of a house and was reportedly threatening people.

When the Taser was ineffective in controlling 23-year-old Daniel V. Ulrich, Officer Matthew Rissmiller forcefully took the Reading man to the ground, police said in the criminal complaint.

Two people who had been bystanders helped hold Ulrich to the ground while Rissmiller waited for additional officers to arrive. While they were holding him, Ulrich turned his head and spit on the left side of Rissmiller's face, according to Rissmiller's affidavit.

According to the probable cause affidavit:

Rissmiller responded to the 3500 block of St. Lawrence Avenue for a report of a man in front of a residence threatening people with the knife.

When Rissmiller arrived, he saw Ulrich standing on the steps leading from the sidewalk to the house, which is his former residence. While the officer engaged Ulrich, he noticed a knife clipped to his right pants pocket. The specific reason for Ulrich being there was not specified.

When Rissmiller asked him to come down to the sidewalk to talk, Ulrich said "no" and spit on the ground in front of the officer.

Rissmiller started to approach Ulrich, who grew more agitated the closer he got. Due to his refusal to cooperate and the large number of people gathered around as children were getting off their school bus, Rissmiller decided to deploy his Taser.

After that Taser had no effect, Rissmiller continued his advance toward Ulrich and took him to the ground.

Rissmiller and another officer suffered minor injuries during their struggle to handcuff the suspect.

Ulrich of the 100 block of Douglass Street was charged with aggravated and simple assault.

After arraignment before District Judge Eric J. Taylor in Reading Central Court, he was committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $2,500 bail to await a hearing.