Pa. Man Has Been Mistaken For Eric Frein More Than 20 Times

James Tully, left. Eric Frein on the right.

Pity poor James Tully. The Monroe County man does not have a car and has to walk five miles to work. That’s enough of a hassle, except he keeps getting mistaken for Eric Frein, the man charged with killing Pennsylvania State Trooper Byron Dickson and wounding fellow trooper Alex Douglass last month.

Tully says most of his interactions with police — including being stopped seven times in one day — have ended fine, with police checking his identification and sending him on his way. But recently a man in camouflage jumped out of a car, sent Tully to the ground and pointed a rifle at his head. “I will break you right here,” Tully said the man asked. “What is your name?” After a state trooper came by to confirm his identify, Tully went to the ER with severely bruised ribs.

But a positive has come out of one man being mistaken for a suspected cop killer more than 20 times.

After Tully’s story appeared in The Morning Call and other newspapers on Wednesday, donations began pouring in to buy Tully a car. So far, the GoFundMe page has raised more than $7,000 — almost five grand more than the original $2,500 goal. Tully can now buy a nicer car!

Dawn DiBiase of East Stroudsburg — no relation to the Million Dollar Man, most likely — began the GoFundMe after reading his ordeal. “Everyone I’ve talked to says he’s just an all-around good guy,” she told The Morning Call.

In the comments on the GoFundMe page, many residents are angry a car dealership has just given Tully a car. “Some dealers are using this as an excuse to profit off all the donations given to him by “helping” him purchase a car!” Brian Nichas wrote. “Ridiculously unclassy.”

“While the funds are donated for James to buy a car,” Terry Rogers added, “I find it distasteful that car salesman are trying to use this unfortunate situation to make a sale /commission. Shame on them if that is the case.” A man who wrote he is from Haltermans Toyota/Scion and Mitsubishi had previously offered to help Tully pick out a car in the GoFundMe comments.

[GoFundMe Page | The Morning Call | Pocono Record]