DEATH OF MAN ACTING ERRATICALLY IN CAROLINE CO. INVESTIGATED

(Ridgely, MD) – Maryland State Police are investigating the death of a man apparently from Virginia who died while police were preparing to take him for an emergency evaluation.

The man is identified as Raymond H. Bartles, Jr., 43, whose last known address was in Woodbridge, Virginia. Bartles was pronounced dead this afternoon at the Easton Memorial Hospital.

The preliminary investigation by Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigators indicates that at about 1:00 p.m. today, a Natural Resources Police corporal was patrolling north on Rt. 312, north of Ridgely, when he was apparently notified by someone who reported a man, later identified as Bartles, who was acting strangely along the road. While the individual was talking with the corporal, Bartles is reported to have run at the corporal while he was still in his patrol car. Bartles is said to have tried to get into the patrol car and was acting erratically. The corporal called for a backup and a Caroline County deputy responded.

Bartles reportedly lay down on the ground on his own and when the deputy arrived, the two officers handcuffed him while the corporal began to make arrangements to take Bartles for an emergency evaluation. When the two officers tried to assist Bartles off the ground, his body went limp. The officers called emergency medical services, which arrived within minutes to transport him to the hospital.

There was no reported physical altercation between either the corporal or the deputy on the scene and Bartles. Bartles had no visible signs of trauma on his body. He is reported to have made no complaints to the officers of any medical distress, nor shown any signs of distress prior to going limp. His body has been transported to the Office of the State Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Investigators contacted Bartles’ closest family member, who is a sister living in Western Maryland. She reported her brother was employed as a transient carnival worker who wandered extensively. She said he had recently been hospitalized in Florida for an extended period of time due to multiple medical conditions.

Further investigation found that sometime before 7:50 a.m. today, deputies from the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office had been called to the truck stop on Rt. 304 in Centreville for a complaint involving Bartles. When deputies arrived, they observed no criminal actions and cleared the scene.

Shortly after 7:50 a.m. today, Maryland State Police from the Centreville Barracks were dispatched to the 700-block of Ruthsburg Road, not far from the truck stop, for a report of a suspicious man who appeared to be homeless. Additional investigation by the trooper determined the man, later identified as Bartles, had trespassed at a residence on Ruthsburg Road. The trooper arrested Bartles and charged him with trespassing.

While Bartles was in Maryland State Police custody, troopers attempted to find a homeless shelter or some other assistance for him, but were unable to do so. Troopers took Bartles to a court commissioner for a bond hearing at about 11:30 a.m. The commissioner refused to hold Bartles on a temporary commitment and released him on his personal recognizance. Troopers reported Bartles appeared to be in good health.

At about 12:00 p.m. today, the same Natural Resources Police corporal notified the Centreville Barracks that he was out with Bartles at the intersection of Rt. 213 and Rt. 301. The corporal reported Bartles was a traffic hazard. Another trooper from the Centreville Barracks arrived on the scene with NRP corporal.

Bartles told the trooper he was trying to reach Easton and was on his way to the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Due to the repeated times Bartles was walking in traffic, the trooper felt it best to transport Bartles to the Caroline County line on Rt. 309 where he could then walk legally and more safely to Easton. The trooper dropped Bartles off at that location shortly before 12:30 p.m. He did not detect any type of medical distress being experienced by Bartles at that time.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was requested to conduct this investigation by the Natural Resources Police. The investigation is continuing.