Drunk lunges at cop with knife

By PAT CAMUSO

LAKE WALLENPAUPACK — A Conshahoken man was arrested Saturday night, August 3, at Lake Wallenpaupack’s Wilsonville Campgrounds in Palmyra Township after lunging at a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper with a hunting knife.

According to Trooper William Castaldi, 53-year-old Gregory Kauffman joined a private family campfire without invitation.

Two off-duty cops who witnessed the incident, explained that Kauffman sat next to a 13-year-old girl who was sitting with a group of kids, 10 to 16 years of age, around a campfire ring. According to the witnesses, Kauffman asked her how she was doing then began to mumble something to her.

The witnesses said the girl became frightened and stood up, alerting nearby adults, who followed the man to the adjacent beach area and kept an eye on the intruder until Castaldi arrived.

“I stated, ‘state police, let me see your hands’ but he turned around quickly, holding a buck knife in his hand,” Castaldi continued, “He attempted to lunge towards me but was so intoxicated he fell on his face and dropped the knife.”

Castaldi kicked away the knife and arrested Kauffman. A search uncovered various pieces of camping gear along with drug paraphernalia.

Kauffman was arraigned on charges of Public Drunkenness and possession of drug paraphernalia and is being detained in the Pike County Jail.