A Hilltown Township man has been charged with three felony DUI offenses after, authorities allege, he had a BAC of 0.34% while driving his pickup with two missing tires as it sparked down Bethlehem Pike.
Thomas Jerome Gabriel, 54, of the 1900 block of E. Cherry Lane, was charged this month with two charges of DUI – 4th or subsequent offense and one charge of DUI – BAC at or above 0.16% - 4th or subsequent offense, per charging documents.
On Sept. 24, at 9:16 p.m., police were patrolling the 309 Corridor on southbound Bethlehem Pike, when they saw a white 2010 Dodge pickup truck, allegedly driven by Gabriel, swerving several times in and out of northbound lanes on Bethlehem Pike, per the affidavit.
After crossing the Unionville Pike intersection, police noticed Gabriel having trouble staying in his lane, with the front and rear tires crossing the white curb lines numerous times, police said.
When Gabriel’s truck passed The Willows retirement community at 2343 Bethlehem Pike, it lost the first piece of its rear passenger tire, police allege. The car behind Gabriel had to hit the brakes to avoid a collision, police said.
Police hit the siren and lights, but Gabriel allegedly continued on Bethlehem Pike. Soon after, the truck lost the remainder of its rear passenger side tire, causing police to swerve the patrol car to avoid an accident, per the complaint.
As Gabriel drove past CarShop, police said the truck’s front and rear right tires went over the white curb line, with the rear rims sparking on the pavement, resulting in parts of the front tire breaking off.
Police allege Gabriel hit his brakes and sped up multiple times, finally stopping at Bethlehem Pike and Fairhill Road.
Gabriel was told to turn off the car, and police noticed he had bloodshot, red eyes, dilated pupils, and difficulty focusing, police said, with an odor of alcohol in the car.
Upon exiting the car, Gabriel, police said, had to balance himself with both hands on the driver side door, stumbling and requiring police assistance. Police said he was slurring his words and had a strong odor of alcohol on him.
During the interaction with Gabriel, two witnesses who had allegedly encountered him in the parking lot of Hilltown Crossings Shopping Center, near Sunoco, where they spoke with him. The witnesses said Gabriel’s behavior and body odor was that of an intoxicated person, police said. They told police Gabriel was leaning near his car and they asked him not to leave the parking lot until he sobered up, per the complaint.
Gabriel was detained for suspicion of DUI and told police he was coming from the Sunoco, police said. He admitted drinking and was not going to deny it, police said.
He agreed to a preliminary breath test, but said he was going to fail, per the affidavit, and “the results will blow your mind.” Gabriel failed a field sobriety test, police said. Blood would later be drawn from Gabriel for testing of BAC at Grand View Hospital, per the complaint.
The defendant was charged via summons and awaits a Dec. 2 preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
