Photo by James Short.
A Norristown driver who crashed his car into a utility pole in Franconia Township last month and fled the scene on foot to a nearby shopping center had a blood-alcohol content of .079% at the time of the crash and has been charged by authorities.
Franconia Township Police have charged Giovanni Lezama Sanchez, 23, of the 1000 block of Stanbridge Street, with misdemeanor DUI and summary offenses of careless driving, disregarding a traffic lane, accidents involving damage to property, failure to notify police of an accident, and driving without a license, according to court records.
On June 10, at 11:05 p.m., police were dispatched to a crash into a utility pole at Cowpath Road and Telford Pike, and found a black Hyundai on the left side of the roadway with severe front-end damage, police said.
The Hyundai was next to a PP&L utility pole that broke due to the crash, knocking out power briefly in the area, police said.
Police found the car unoccupied and police requested help from Souderton Borough Police to set up a perimeter. While coordinating with Telford Borough Police, Franconia officers were advised that Souderton Police found Sanchez, the driver of the Hyundai, at Indian Valley Shopping Plaza at 199 Telford Pike, police said.
Sanchez had an injury to the left side of his head, which matched damage to the windshield of the car, police said. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and there was a strong odor of alcohol on him, police said.
Police contacted Language Line to help in communicating with Sanchez, police said. Sanchez, per the affidavit, admitted to driving the car and crashing into the pole after drinking five beers.
Sanchez was treated as a trauma patient by medical responders, so field sobriety tests could not be administered, police said. He was taken into custody at 11:58 p.m., and taken by VMSC EMS to Grand View Hospital for treatment, police said.
A Spanish-speaking officer from Upper Dublin Township Police met Franconia officers at the hospital to speak with Sanchez.
Sanchez agreed to a blood test, police said, and blood was drawn at the hospital. The blood was sent for testing on June 11 and on June 18, the results showed a BAC of 0.79% at the time of withdrawal, per the affidavit.
Per court records, Sanchez was charged via summons June 25. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 28 at 1:15 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Adam T. Katzman.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
