A Lansford man has been charged with spitting on a police officer from his hospital bed.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective David Roberts of the Franklin Township Police Department in the case against Erik Speece:

At 6:02 p.m. June 21, officer Jared Green of the Franklin Township Police Department was at St. Luke’s Carbon Campus because the Lansford Borough Police Department arriving with an unruly man, Speece, 38.

Speece was being committed to the Carbon County Correctional Facility when he stated he was suicidal.

Carbon County Correctional Facility then refused to take Speece into custody and mandated Lansford Borough Police Department to transport him to a mental health facility to be cleared before accepting custody.

Speece was taken to the Emergency Department at St. Luke’s Carbon Campus where he became irate and agitated, screaming and yelling profanities and homophobic slurs toward the arresting officer before getting up from the exam bed and attempting to rush toward him.

Medical personnel then treated Speece while police where on hand.

Speece then spat twice in Green’s face while he was being treated.

Speece faces charges of assault of law enforcement officer and simple assault.

Speece is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 straight bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Aug. 23 before District Judge William J. Kissner of Palmerton.