Lower Salford Police Photo by James Short.
Lower Salford Police reported strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech and refusal of chemical testing
A Harleysville man is facing a felony DUI charge after Lower Salford Township Police said he was impaired behind the wheel during a 2 a.m. traffic stop and later refused a blood draw.
According to a criminal complaint, Raymond Cleary, 62, of the 200 block of Danielle Drive, Lower Salford, was charged with felony DUI–general impairment and a summary count of driving with a DUI-suspended license following a Nov. 15, 2025 stop on Shirley Drive near Pamela Circle.
Police were on patrol around 2:06 a.m. when an officer ran the registration of a black Acura MDX traveling on Clemens Road. A records check showed the registered owner, Cleary, had a DUI-related license suspension, police said.
The officer watched the vehicle pull into the lot of Eckhart Auto Body, a business closed at that hour, then continue driving before stopping several minutes later, according to the affidavit.
According to the complaint, police approached the driver’s window and immediately smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle. Cleary’s eyes were described as bloodshot and glassy, and his speech was slurred, police said.
Police said Cleary avoided eye contact and struggled to retrieve his license, later stating he “drank a little bit” but was unsure how much. Police administered field sobriety tests and determined Cleary was not capable of safely operating a vehicle, placing him under arrest on suspicion of DUI, according to the affidavit.
After being taken into custody, Cleary was read the state’s DL-26B chemical testing warnings, and he refused to submit to a blood draw, police allege.
A criminal-history check showed Cleary had three prior DUI convictions in 1994, 2009 and 2023. Under Pennsylvania law, that makes the current arrest his fourth DUI offense, grading the charge as a felony of the third degree, police said.
His PennDOT record also confirmed that his operating privilege was suspended for DUI, making this his second violation of DUI-suspended driving rules, police said.
Cleary was charged by summons and a preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 28 before Magisterial District Judge Adam Katzman.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
