Bellefonte Man Exposed Himself to Passersby, Resisted Arrest, Police Say

A Bellefonte man is accused of exposing his genitals to multiple passersby at a borough intersection then fighting with police officers while they tried to take him into custody.

Drivers and a passenger reported a man later identified as Frederick Shawley Jr., 62, was masturbating near the corner of Stoney Batter and South Spring Street at about 8 a.m. Friday.

Two women who had two young children in their vehicle told police that when they approached the intersection Shawley exposed his penis and began touching himself. Another woman reported a similar encounter at the same intersection, and that Shawley made an obscene gesture as she drove away, police wrote.

When an officer arrived on the scene, Shawley pulled his hand from inside his pants and attempted to walk away after saying he was just trying to get a ride, police wrote. He tried to get up several times after being told to sit down on a retaining wall, according to the affidavit.

As the officer tried to hold him down, Shawley continued trying to push forward, police wrote. During the ensuing struggle, Shawley allegedly knocked off the officer’s body worn camera and moved his hand toward her gun. The officer then struck Shawley in the side of the head with a closed fist several times to prevent him from gaining control of the weapon.

Shawley allegedly continued to resist after another officer and two members of the Centre County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene before he was ultimately handcuffed and taken into custody.

He was charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and resisting arrest and summary counts of disorderly conduct.

Shawley was arraigned on Friday by District Judge Don Hahn and was unable to post $15,000 bail. He is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.