Charges are pending against the driver of this Hyundai Accent after he slammed into the back of Hyundai Elantra in the 400 block of East Third Street on Friday afternoon.  The damaged Elantra is seen in background on tow truck. PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

A 32-year-old motorist was in custody Friday afternoon after he rammed another man’s car on East Street, Williamsport, pushing it at least 75 yards before he got out and took off running, removing his clothes as he ran, Williamsport police said.

The man, who police believed was battling some mental health issues, bolted about two blocks to Academy and Church streets, where he was restrained after an officer was forced to deploy his taser.

“It was crazy. I was scared. There were a couple of officers, and one had his taser drawn on this naked man who was on the ground,” a female witness said.

The woman was riding in a vehicle driven by her father, who quickly backed up to get out of harm’s way.

From Academy and Church streets, the man was taken by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport, where he was being treated for hand injuries and undergoing further evaluation.

The man driving this Hyundai Elantra escaped injury when another motorist driving a Hyundai Accent plowed into him in the 400 block of East Third Street about 12:50 p.m. Friday, city police said. PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

It all started just before 1 p.m. when the man stormed out of Leading Electronics, 673 E. Third St., where he is an employee, police said.

“Upon returning from lunch, he displayed some very bizarre behavior and got into a confrontation with another worker,” a patrol supervisor said.

Before leaving the store, he smashed a display case and several monitors, police alleged.

Driving a green Hyundai Accent, the man was heading west on East Third Street at a high rate of speed when he slammed into the back of a blue Hyundai Elantra in the 400 block, police said. The second driver was not injured, police said.

Charges are pending as the investigation was ongoing, the supervisor said.

Fire trucks were used to block East Third Street east of Penn Street as city police conducted their investigation into a violent crash there on Friday afternoon. PHIL HOLMES/Sun-Gazette