DUNMORE — Police say a 20-year-old man who caused a crash at Butler and Fifth streets on April 6 had a blood alcohol level over twice the legal limit, had he been an adult.
Because he is under 21, Randy Dougher, of 4142 Bearbrook Road, Madison Twp., was legally precluded from drinking at all before taking the wheel, under the state’s “zero tolerance” law.
Earlier in the evening, police responded to a family argument involving Dougher and his father.
Although Dougher had intended to go to his mother’s residence, he returned to his father’s residence and took his car, before heading to Turkey Hill for an energy drink, police said.
When asked why he got behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, he told officers, “It wasn’t a good idea,” according to the criminal complaint.
Here is what police say happened:
At about 9:30 p.m. on April 6, Dunmore police were called to Butler and Fifth streets for the report of a crash in which one vehicle was resting against a fence and the other had a female trapped inside.
When officers arrived, they found Dougher standing near the rear of his Honda Civic.
Police recognized Dougher from the domestic dispute officers had responded to about an hour earlier.
During that incident, Dougher had admitted to drinking alcohol even though he was under 21. He was transported to the Dunmore police station, where his mother picked him up to be taken to her residence.
Instead, his mother book him back to his father’s John Avenue residence.
Once there, Dougher took his father’s car and drove to the convenience store.
He told officers as he approached the intersection “both vehicles collided.”
He refused to take a field sobriety test or preliminary breath test.
Police noted Dougher smelled of alcohol.
At that time, officers were unable to speak to the driver of the other vehicle, later identified as Brittany Spencer, because she was being transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center for treatment for injuries believed to be serious. Dunmore fire personnel had extricated Spencer from her vehicle using special equipment.
On April 9, officers interviewed Spencer, who said she had been driving on Butler Street when she approached a stop sign on Fifth Street.
She told officers she had stopped and looked to the left and right before proceeding.
She said that as she looked left, she saw the illumination of headlights but that no vehicle was in sight.
As she proceeded through the intersection, Dougher’s vehicle struck the driver’s side of her car.
Spencer said she could not remember anything further.
She voluntarily provided a copy of her medical records from GCMC, which indicated multiple fractures and a severe bruise on her lower back.
She told police she was in extreme pain and had difficulty walking.
Blood alcohol analysis indicated Dougher’s blood alcohol level was .235%, above the legal limit of .02% for drivers under 21 and more than twice the legal limit of .08% had he been an adult.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 15 before District Judge George Seig.