Drunken-driving suspect waives preliminary hearing

A 31-year-old Reading-area man faces a possible trial on drunken-driving charges after he waived his hearing in district court April 5 before District Judge Timothy Dougherty.

West Reading police spotted the suspect driving carelessly and breaking several traffic laws about 1:57 a.m. Feb. 19 in the 500 block of Penn Avenue in the borough. Officers suspected he was drunk and also found a warrant for his arrest from Montgomery County.

The suspect was charged Feb. 27 and released March 21 pending his next court appearance. Charges of speeding, drunken driving and careless driving were all waived for court. A formal arraignment is scheduled later this month.

Man arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Wyomissing

Who ever said "With the lights out, it's less dangerous?" Oh, right. Kurt Cobain. Turns out he was wrong, at least when it comes to driving at night.

Wyomissing police stopped a man for driving without headlights about 2:16 a.m. March 31 in the 900 block of Penn Avenue. The officers found one likely reason for his driving in the dark: He was drunk. Police arrested him and took him to the DUI processing center, and expect to file charges.

High-speed driver suspected of also driving high in Wyomissing

A Wyomissing police officer stopped a vehicle about 12:38 p.m. March 25 that had been going 89 mph on the Warren Street Bypass, where the speed limit is 55 mph. The driver appeared to be drunk, so the officer gave him a sobriety test. During the stop police also found some marijuana and a pipe in the vehicle. The driver was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center for a blood test. Police expect to file charges against the driver.

Woman arrested on drunken-driving charge in Wyomissing

A Wyomissing police officer saw a vehicle rear-end another about 2:12 a.m. March 4 at a red light at Park Road and Penn Avenue in the borough. The officer helped the drivers exchange information, but noticed something about the driver of the vehicle that struck the other: She was drunk. Police arrested the woman and took her to the DUI center.

Man charged with drunken driving after futile attempt to flee police

A vehicle ran a red light about 1:38 a.m. March 3 at Penn Avenue and Park Road in Wyomissing. A borough police officer followed the driver, who tried to escape by driving the wrong way down Eighth Avenue and parking in a lot behind a nearby church. Officers determined the driver was drunk. He was arrested and taken to the DUI center for testing.

Texas driver jailed on drunken-driving charges in Wyomissing

A vehicle drove through a red light about 2:34 a.m. Feb. 28 at Greenwood Mall and State Hill Road in Wyomissing. A borough police officer stopped the vehicle a few blocks away and noticed the driver was drunk. The driver, who court records indicate is a juvenile, failed sobriety tests and refused a blood test.

The suspect, a Houston resident, was charged with running a red light and drunken driving. He was jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Thief of the week: Feb. 27 – March 2

Here's the thing about drunken drivers: They could just take a cab, walk or find another mode of transportation that doesn't endanger others. So I'm picking this drunken-driving suspect as the Thief of the Week, for stealing our general sense of street safety:

THEFT: Public safety
WHEN TAKEN: Feb. 18
WHERE TAKEN: The streets of West Reading
HOW: Violating multiple traffic laws, including crossing traffic lanes, driving while blotto and driving a suspended license.
SUSPECT: a 45-year-old Reading man
PUNISHMENT: Depends on the outcome of charges that were filed Feb. 27 against the man, including drunken driving and multiple traffic violations.
POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES: With any luck, a wake-up call to avoid getting sloshed ever again – at least before getting behind the wheel of his car, if he ever gets his license back.

Have a favorite news item from the week? Leave a comment or send an email to boroughblue@boroughblue.com.

Reading man charged with drunken driving in West Reading

About 1:33 a.m. Feb. 18, a West Reading police officer spotted a vehicle weaving across traffic lanes. The officer stopped the vehicle at South Third and Penn avenues and found that the driver was not only drunk: He wasn't supposed to be driving. His license was suspended. Police took him to the DUI center, where he refused a blood test.

That didn't prevent him from facing charges. On Feb. 27, police charged the suspect, a 45-year-old Reading man, with drunken driving, careless driving, disregarding traffic lanes and driving with a suspended license.

Man assaults woman, gets stopped for drunken driving

A woman called police about 11:56 p.m. Feb. 17 after she was assaulted in a domestic dispute in the 400 block of Oak Terrace in West Reading. The man had fled the home, but he didn't elude police for long. Less than 10 minutes later, he drove to the house, spotted officers and drove off. Police followed the vehicle as the driver broke several traffic laws.

When they stopped him in the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue, he smelled of alcohol and failed sobriety tests. Police arrested the suspect and plan to charge him with assault. Drunken-driving charges are pending blood test results, police said.

Woman runs red light, faces drunken-driving charge

A Wyomissing police officer saw a vehicle go through a red light, just missing another vehicle, about 1:25 a.m. Feb. 11 at Penn Avenue and Park Road North in the borough. The driver appeared drunk, and a breath test confirmed the officer's suspicion: It showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.15, nearly twice the 0.08 legal threshold for drunken driving. Police arrested her and took her to the DUI center for a blood test.

Bad driving gives away drunken driver in West Reading

A West Reading police officer spotted a vehicle traveling erratically about 2:05 a.m. Jan. 26 on South Second Avenue in West Reading. After the vehicle pulled over, the driver reeked of alcohol and seemed drunk. She was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center for a blood-alcohol test and the car was towed. Police expect to file charges of drunken driving after receiving results of the blood test.

Driver runs red light, gets arrested on drunken-driving charge

Wyomissing police stopped a vehicle about 2:25 a.m. Jan. 10 after it had gone through a red light at Penn Avenue and Park Road in the borough. The driver appeared drunk, and a breath test confirmed it: The suspect's blood-alcohol content was 0.14, nearly double the state's legal threshold for drunken driving of 0.08. Police took the driver to St. Joseph Medical Center for a blood test.

Suspicious vehicle leads to drunken-driving arrest in West Reading

A West Reading police officer stopped a vehicle that looked suspicious about 2:13 a.m. Sept. 9 in the 200 block of Tulpehocken Avenue in the borough. Police appeared to be right in their suspicions: Everyone in the vehicle, including the driver, was drunk. The driver was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and the vehicle was towed.

Seven arrested on drunken-driving charges in Wyomissing

Wyomissing police conducted a DUI checkpoint the night of Sept. 2 at Penn Avenue and Park Road. The detail resulted in seven arrests for drunken driving, charges against two people for drug possession and three citations for traffic violations. One of the drunken-driving suspects was also wanted for an earlier hit-and-run in Reading.

West Lawn man charged with drunken driving in Wyomisisng

Wyomissing police pulled over a car about 2:22 a.m. July 30 at Hobart Avenue and State Hill Road in the borough that had no headlights on. The driver appeared to be drunk so officers took him to the DUI Center. The suspect, a 23-year-old West Lawn man, was charged Aug. 1 with driving without headlights, ignoring traffic signals, and two counts of drunken driving, including one count of having a blood-alcohol content above 0.16, more than double the state's legal threshold for drunken driving of 0.08.

Driver knocks down light pole, gets charged with drunken driving

A vehicle struck a light pole about 2:10 a.m. July 1 in the 200 block of Penn Avenue in West Reading. Police thought at the time the driver might have been drunk. They took the suspect, a 20-year-old Wyomissing man, to St. Joseph Hospital for a blood test. Their suspicions confirmed, they charged the man July 12 with two counts of drunken driving.

Man faces drunken-driving charges after hit-and-run

A driver hit two parked cars and drove off about 10:10 p.m. June 23 in Wyomissing. The suspect might have gotten away with it, if not for a witness who saw him pull into a garage of a home in the 1400 block of Garfield Avenue. Police arrived and found the man had been drinking. The suspect, a 59-year-old Wyomissing man, was arrested and charged with drunken driving, careless driving and causing an accident involving damage to property.

Drunken-driving suspect arrested in Wyomissing

A driver ignored a red light about 2:21 a.m. June 18 at the intersection of Spring Street and State Hill Road in Wyomissing. Police stopped the vehicle and gave the driver several field sobriety tests, all of which he failed. A breath test showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.15, nearly twice the legal threshold for drunken driving in Pennsylvania. He was arrested and taken to the DUI center. Police charged the suspect, a 30-year-old Blandon man, with drunken driving and a traffic violation.

Driver faces drunken-driving charges after crash in West Reading

A vehicle struck two parked cars about 2:10 a.m. April 24 in the 200 block of Linden Lane in West Reading. Borough police had the vehicle towed and arrested the driver on suspicion of drunken driving.

Erratic driving leads to traffic stop in Wyomissing

A Wyomissing police officer stopped a vehicle about 1:42 a.m. April 16 after it struck a curb at Berkshire Boulevard and State Hill Road. Before it hit the curb, the vehicle came close to striking a cement median barrier and drifted right. Police determined the driver was drunk and took the suspect to the DUI center for a blood-alcohol test.