Police officer sustains electrical shock in Doylestown

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Bucks County police officer suffered burn injuries after an electrical shock at SEPTA's Doylestown Station.

It happened shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday on the 100 block of South Clinton Street in Doylestown.

Police were involved with an ongoing drug investigation when they attempted to arrest a suspect at the train station.

There was a foot chase, during which the suspect tossed a bag containing heroin onto the roof of a train car.

After the suspect was apprehended, Morrisville Corporal Michael Pitcher climbed a ladder to the roof of the train where he found the bag containing 89 packages of heroin. However, while he was up there he was shocked by equipment and suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns.

Corporal Pitcher was initially taken to Doylestown Hospital with injuries to his back and shoulder, but later transferred to Temple University Hospital for treatment.

He is expected to be OK.

Authorities say that power to the train car had been turned off, but residual power forced the equipment to ark. The electricity then jumped, hitting the officer, without him ever coming into contact with electrical wires or equipment.

Service on SEPTA's Lansdale/Doylestown Regional Rail Line was briefly suspended while investigators were on the scene, but service has since resumed.