A Peach Bottom man entered a city home through an unlocked door Sunday night and seemed determined to stay, according to police, fighting with the homeowner who tried to get him to leave.

Shortly after 11 p.m., police said, Nicholas Jared Boos, 23, of 436 Black Barren Road, Peach Bottom, left a bar in the 700 block of East Walnut Street and walked to a home in the 700 block of East Madison Street, entering through a rear, unlocked patio door.

Once inside the house, police said, Boos helped himself to two 40-ounce bottles of beer that were in the refrigerator, took them out to a back deck, set them on a grill, and then went back inside the house.

The homeowner, a 32-year-old man, woke up when Boos turned on the second floor hallway light and told him to leave, police said.

Boos refused, police said.

The resident went downstairs and confronted the stranger, police said, and the two men started struggling on the living room floor.

Meanwhile, the homeowner's girlfriend called 911.

Police arrived, forced their way in the front door and found the homeowner physically restraining Boos on the living room floor.

Then, when officers tried to take the man into custody, police said, he started fighting with them as well, kicking city police Officer Jay Hatfield.

Police said Boos, who apparently had entered the home randomly, seemed to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, so they took him to Lancaster General Hospital. Again, police said Boos became combative and kicked a nurse in the emergency room.

Neither the nurse or the officer was seriously injured, police said.

Boos was charged with burglary, theft, resisting arrest, simple assault against the homeowner and two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly hitting the policeman and the nurse.


Staff writer Janet Kelley can be reached at jkelley@LNPnews.com or 481-6026.