A Pennsylvania shopping plaza got an unexpected visitor when police say a man began running around completely naked while indicating that rodents were attacking him. The strange morning eventually ended with the man in custody, and officers say they discovered he was carrying methamphetamine.
Wilkes-Barre Township police encountered Kevin Stanley Carsto at Wilkes Plaza at approximately 11:41 a.m. on September 5. Officers had been called after Carsto was seen running naked throughout the plaza while indicating that he was under attack by rodents.
Police say Carsto became combative with both officers and emergency medical personnel when they located him. He was ultimately taken into custody, at which point police say he was found in possession of methamphetamine.
The department did not provide additional details about the rodents Carsto believed were attacking him or what happened immediately before he began running through the plaza. Court records identify Carsto as 32 years old and show that the resulting criminal case remains active.
Run Through Plaza Leads To Several Charges
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Court records show Carsto faces five charges stemming from the September 5 incident. Those include misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure, open lewdness and disorderly conduct involving hazardous or physically offensive conduct.
The remaining two charges concern drugs, with the docket listing possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Wilkes-Barre Township police specifically identified the substance officers say they discovered as methamphetamine.
The criminal complaint was filed on September 8, and the case is awaiting a preliminary hearing. Court records show that hearing is scheduled for September 28 at Luzerne County Central Court.
Pennsylvania Police Have Dealt With Stranger Scenes
Strange as the scene at Wilkes Plaza must have been, Pennsylvania police have encountered at least one similarly underdressed suspect we’ve covered before. In June, a bar fight escalated into a full-frontal foot chase after police say a man took off running before eventually attempting to hide from officers in some bushes.
That incident came with its own collection of unusual details, including the suspect losing his clothing somewhere along the way and police eventually discovering his hiding place. It was the sort of police call that seemed to become stranger with every new development.
Carsto’s case trades the bar fight and bush hideout for a shopping plaza and rodents he indicated were attacking him, but the end result isn’t entirely unfamiliar. Apparently, Pennsylvania police have now had more than one occasion this year where locating a suspect was considerably easier thanks to a distinct lack of clothing.
Carsto Held After Being Unable to Post Bail
Carsto’s bail was set at $5,000 by the Magisterial District Court on September 15. The docket states that he was confined at Luzerne County Prison that same day because he was unable to post bail.
Court records identify Wilkes-Barre Township Police Officer Dana Fox as the arresting officer and show the case was assigned to Magisterial District Judge Michael G. Dotzel. The docket also indicates that Carsto requested a public defender.
The available records do not explain what may have caused Carsto to believe rodents were attacking him, and police did not identify any connection between that behavior and the methamphetamine accusation. Additional information was also not available on the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections website. His five charges remain pending, and the accusations against him have not resulted in a conviction.