An Ephrata man’s bus ride to Manheim Township on Wednesday morning turned into a foot chase, a scuffle and finally an arrest in a store parking lot, police said.

Gene L. Engle Jr., 45, of Lily Drive, was reportedly “huffing,” or inhaling substances, on a Red Rose Transit Authority bus as it traveled along the 1900 block of Fruitville Pike around 8:30, police said.

After Engle and others got off the bus, police said, one of the passengers saw Manheim Township Police Officer Michael Piacentino sitting in his cruiser in a nearby parking lot and gave him a description of the person illegally using the inhalants on the bus.

Piacentino searched the area, spotted Engle and asked him to stop and talk about the accusation, department spokesman Sgt. Tom Rudzinski said.

Instead, Engle started running, with Piacentino in pursuit on foot telling him he was under arrest and needed to stop.

As they crossed the parking lot of Save-Mart, 241 W. Roseville Road, police said, Piacentino caught Engle, but the two struggled as they fell to the ground.

With the help of a nearby workman, Piacentino was able to take Engle into custody. The police officer sustained a minor injury to his knee.

Engle was charged with escape, resisting arrest, illegal use of noxious substance and disorderly conduct, police said.

Abused inhalants, usually of household products such as aerosols, have a wide range of euphoric as well as toxic effects, including brain damage, organ failure, convulsion, deafness, impaired vision and loss of motor functions.