The man was crushed by the chains of a bulldozer that the police used to chase him
Pennsylvania State Police acted brutally against a 51 years old man who was growing few plants of cannabis on public land. When the police discovered 10 plants in a rural area (75 miles away from Philadelphia), tried to arrest the grower, but he ran away. One of the police officers took a bulldozer to chase him around and finally the grower ended underneath the chains of the bulldozer and died.
Greg Longenecker’s family said it was a very small culture that Greg used for his own use. His death has caused a wave of fury among marijuana advocacy groups. The police didn’t answer any question about the subject but the prosecutor who investigated the case said that the police acted well.
The tragedy began when Greg Longenecker and his friend David Light started a culture of 10 cannabis plants in a state game land. A Pennsylvania Game Commission worker was operating a bulldozer when he saw a car that was parked in an area where cars are not allowed. He called the police.
When the police appeared, David Light obeyed and remained there awaiting to be arrested. However, Longenecker fled and tried to hide into the bush. The police began to chase him using different means to catch the “criminal”. Finally a state police helicopter spotted him underneath a bush. A police trooper and the game commission worker used the bulldozer to chase Greg Longenecker and while he was running trying to escape, he was ran over and died.
Of course the Greg Longenecker’s case is being disputed at the state court. Police say Greg was high on methamphetamine and that he tried to hide under the bulldozer, crawling under the bulldozer, like a snake, trying to escape. The result? He got crushed to death when the bulldozer made a turn.
Greg Longenecker’s family said this is absolutely false and his friend David stated that there was no way Greg crawled under the back of the bulldozer. He was declared guilty with drug charges and he must attend an especial program for first time offenders.
Longenecker’s family ask why the police did not get a warrant to arrest him later because they knew who he was and the crime was not important to chase him around with a bulldozer.
An expert in police procedure was asked about it and he stated the state police behavior was unthinkable. And Walter Signorelli, a current lawyer and former New York Police Department commander, stated that it was the craziest thing he had heard.
Berks County District Attorney John Adams, who concluded that the conduct of the police was correct, said Longenecker risked his life when he fled from the police. However, one state police officer declared that the situation should have been handled in a different way.
Sgt. William Slaton, from state police headquarters, apologized to the family and told that 10 cannabis plants shouldn’t have caused this death.
Greg Longenecker’s family is indignant. There is a fact that nobody can deny: state police ran over a man using a government-operated bulldozer and finally killed him. The family expects a thorough investigation, but thinking that a man was killed for cultivating 10 cannabis plants seems absurd. Doesn’t it?
