A Lehighton man is in custody after allegedly taking off on foot from a traffic stop Thursday morning - without any shoes.

Christopher J. George, 37, of Lehighton, also allegedly brandished what appeared to be a handgun while police were chasing him, but it was later determined to be a BB gun.George's license was suspended at the time, and he also had an outstanding bench warrant, police said.Mahoning Township Police Chief Audie Mertz wrote in an affidavit of probable cause that he initially pulled over George's Chevrolet S10 around 8:30 a.m. Thursday on Hemlock Drive in Mahoning Township.Mertz said he had turned on his lights and sirens about a mile before, at the intersection of Route 209 and Beaver Street, but George allegedly drove about a mile before pulling over.Mertz determined that George's license was suspended, and asked him to get out of the car, but George ran off. In the process, he lost his shoes.A manhunt ensued. Officers from Summit Hill, Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and state police assisted in the search. A state police helicopter was also requested to aid in the search.Police were able to obtain George's cellphone number and tracked the phone to a location near Mahoning Heights Road.Around 10:30 a.m., officers surrounded George, and observed he was carrying a weapon. George, who was running toward an officer, tossed the gun into the woods, and fell to the ground.The gun was determined to be a BB gun. George was arrested and charged with fleeing and eluding a police officer, a felony, and assorted misdemeanor charges.George was unable to post his bail, which was set at 10 percent of $50,000. He was sent to Carbon County Correctional Facility.