New Britain Township Police. Photo by James Short.
Police said suspect drove wrong way, showed signs of intoxication near Butler Avenue
A New Britain Township man is facing felony DUI and related charges after police said he drove erratically, crossed into opposing lanes and showed signs of intoxication during a late Saturday night stop.
Craig Allen Brown, 53, of the 60th block of Limekiln Road, was charged with felony driving under the influence — his fourth or subsequent offense — along with summary careless driving, driving without a valid license, failing to maintain a lane and operating a vehicle without proper rear lighting, following an incident near West Butler Avenue and Schoolhouse Road, according to a criminal complaint filed by New Britain Township Police.
Court records also indicate he has prior DUI convictions.
Police said an officer on patrol at 11:21 p.m. observed Brown’s Subaru Crosstrek pull away from a gas pump at a Wawa at 525 W. Butler Ave. and cross over solid lane markings before drifting into the opposing lane of travel. The vehicle continued through an intersection and briefly drove the wrong way before stopping in a nearby shopping center, according to the affidavit.
When officers made contact, they reported a strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and difficulty maintaining balance. Brown initially told police he had consumed “not enough,” then later stated he had one beer, according to the complaint. A records check showed his driver’s license was expired, police said.
Investigators said Brown struggled through field sobriety testing, at times nearly falling over and failing to follow instructions. Based on his performance and observed impairment, officers determined he was incapable of safely operating a vehicle and took him into custody, according to the affidavit.
Following his arrest, Brown was transported to the New Britain Township Police Department, where he was read chemical testing warnings and declined a blood draw, police said.
Brown is free on $10,000 unsecured bail and has a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage on May 12.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
