Police: Pa. man drove drunk with child in Jeep
Published 2:45 pm Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Police in Pennsylvania say a man was jailed following an accident in which police say he struck a tractor-trailer while driving drunk with a child in his Jeep.
New Castle police arrested Joel Douglas Boyle, 29, in connection with the collision, which occurred around noon on Tuesday near downtown New Castle, Pennsylvania.
A 3-year-old boy was a passenger in Boyle’s vehicle, according to a police report, and Boyle was driving with a suspended license. The New Castle News reports Boyle is on probation for previous driving under the influence charges and had three drunk driving convictions during the past 10 years.
No injuries were reported in the accident.
Keith Wheeler, 37, of Zanesville, Ohio, was driving the tanker truck attached. He told police he was westbound on West State Street when Boyle’s Jeep crossed into the center lane, then into the oncoming lane. Wheeler said he tried unsuccessfully to swerve to miss the Jeep, and the vehicles collided head-on.
Police said both the Jeep and the tanker truck had severe front-end damage. The trailer tanker was not damaged, according to reports.
Wheeler told police the Jeep driver had his head down afterward and did not look up. Police said a partially spilled beer can was on the passenger floor of the Jeep.
Officers arriving at the scene found Boyle sitting in the grass with the 3-year-old. He told police that he’d had a drink at a nearby restaurant, and officers said he showed signs of impairment during field sobriety tests.
Boyle submitted to a blood alcohol test and was taken into custody. He is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence as a third offense, driving while his license is suspended, careless driving and reckless driving. He remains in the Lawrence County jail on a $5,000 bond.
The boy was turned over to his mother.
The New Castle (Pa.) News contributed to this story.