WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williamstown Police on Friday apprehended a man found naked in the woods of South Williamstown after passing motorists reported someone was harassing them, police said.
The incident led to a two-hour implementation of the "stay in place" protocol at Mount Greylock Regional School, though there was never any indication the man was close to the junior-senior high school.
At 7:31 a.m., the police received a call about a man placing objects in the roadway near the junction of Routes 2 and 7, Police Chief Kyle Johnson said. A second caller said his vehicle was struck by a man on the roadside who then, "took off all his clothes and ran into the woods."
Police responded with a canine unit and found rocks, clothing and a bicycle in the area. Police tracked the man into the woods about three-quarters of a mile short along the brook adjacent to Cold Spring Road (Route 7), Johnson said. At that point the trail went cold, at about 8:47 a.m.
"The patrols continued to search the area and observed a naked man come out of the woods, who then ran when he saw the cruisers," Johnson said. "After a short foot pursuit, the man was taken into custody at 10:16 and was transported to [Berkshire Medical Center] for a mental health evaluation.
"Criminal charges are pending."
Massachusetts State Police and an Environmental Police officer who already was in the area assisted in the search, Johnson said.
Mount Greylock Vice Principal Jacob Schutz confirmed that the stay in place order was in effect for nearly two hours, starting just after 8 a.m. The time period coincided with one of the final exam periods for ninth- through 12th-graders at the junior-senior high school.
"High school students stayed in the exam room for the same period of time they would have," Schutz said. "Middle school students stayed in class two periods longer than usual. … Teachers like having kids in class."
An email from the school to families said it concerned an "individual in the wooded areas along Route 7."
Schutz said the school never received any indication that the person sought was armed or that he came anywhere near the school building.
"Students saw on social media that there was a guy running around naked in the woods and figured that is what it was about," Schutz said.
Schutz emphasized that the school was in a "stay in place," which is a lesser alert level than a full-fledged lockdown would require. During the stay in place, if a student needed to leave the classroom, teachers were asked to call the office for an escort to accompany the student.
While Williamstown Police dealt with the incident in the woods, Lanesborough Police officers came to be available to assist school personnel if needed.
"There was no chaos or sense of craziness," Schutz said.
At about 10:30 a.m., the stay in place was lifted and students and staff resumed their regular activities.
