Police Officer Breaks Toe Chasing Man at Palmer Park Mall

A Philadelphia man is facing multiple charges including aggravated assault on two police officers and resisting arrest after a foot chase at Palmer Park Mall resulted in one policeman breaking his big toe, according to court papers.

Palmer Township Police Sgt. Glenn Sipel used a Taser to apprehend Geffrey Desir, 27, near a construction dumpster outside the mall on Tuesday night, police said.

Desir ran into Sipel, whose right big toe was broken, and kept going before the Taser was fired and knocked the suspect to the ground, police said.

Police were called to the mall at about 8:20 p.m. by Freeman Jewelers, whose employees reported that a man was trying to make a purchase with a stolen credit card and identification, according to an arrest affidavit.

According to that affidavit:

• A store employee told police that Desir was trying to buy a “Gent’s Ring,” valued at $7,495, and asked to apply for credit. He made the application using a New York State driver’s license and a pre-paid American Express card that had a name on them, the employee said.
• While the employee was on hold, seeking credit approval for the customer, the real person called the store, the employee said. The person told the saleswoman that this has happened three times before and that a freeze has been placed on his account to stop more fraudulent purchases, the employee said.
• After confirming the attempted fraud with the credit application operator, the employee called police. In the meantime, Desir left the store.
• With the help of a description from mall security, police found Desir walking toward the Victoria’s Secret in the mall. At that point, Patrolman Tyson Unangst approached Desir and said: “Excuse me, sir.”
• Desir then started “sprinting very fast” toward the mall’s main entrance, while Unangst and Sipel chased and gave “loud, clear commands to stop.”

In addition to aggravated assault and resisting arrest, Desir was charged with four felony counts of identity theft, unauthorized use of a credit card, forgery and disorderly conduct.

He was arraigned before on-duty District Judge Joseph Barner of Lower Nazareth Township and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.