State College police say a Milesburg man had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit after he struck and injured a borough Public Works employee then fled the scene earlier this month.
James B. Waters-Maddox, 30, was charged on Monday with felony counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI and accidents involving personal injury, misdemeanor counts of DUI and three summary motor vehicle offense.
At about 2:20 a.m. on June 7, the worker was operating a ride-on line painting machine to paint crosswalks at the intersection of East Beaver Avenue and Sowers Street when he was struck by a green Hummer, according to a criminal complaint. Upon impact, he was thrown about 15 feet from the machine and police arrived to find him in the road complaining of leg pain.
The worker was found to have sustained a subdural hematoma, fractured right ankle, fractured left lower leg and partially dislocated hip. After being taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center he was flown to Hershey Medical Center.
Police discovered the Hummer had also struck a street light and the brick corner of an apartment building, dislodging several pieces of the vehicle that were found on the ground at the scene.
A witness described seeing a green Hummer drive east on East Beaver Avenue at 70 to 80 miles per hour, then heard a crash. The witness ran to the scene, saw the Hummer with white paint splattered on its side, and took a photo of it as the driver was trying to back up and leave, according to the complaint.
Multiple officers from State College and Penn State police searched the area and found debris from the Hummer on Porter Road. A Penn State officer then located and stopped the Hummer on Fox Hill Road, finding Waters-Maddox was the driver and only person inside. The Hummer had damage consistent with the crash, police said
Waters-Maddox allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol and admitted to having been drinking. A State College officer observed an impact point on the Hummer’s windshield and white paint on the side of the vehicle. Waters-Maddox also had a lump on his head consistent with hitting the windshield during the crash.
Police took Waters-Maddox to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where at 3:35 a.m. he refused to provide a sample for a blood alcohol content analysis. He was then taken to the police station until a district judge issued a search warrant for a blood specimen. He was taken back to the hospital and cooperated with having his blood drawn at 5:45 a.m.
The blood sample was sent to the state police lab in Harrisburg, and on Thursday State College police received the analysis results, which showed a blood alcohol content of .239.
During the investigation, police found that prior to striking the borough worker, Waters-Maddox crashed through an exit gate a Pugh Street Parking Garage, according to the complaint. Video from the garage allegedly showed the Hummer crash into the gate and Waters-Maddox driving the vehicle as it left the garage. The cost to repair the damage was $1,041.
Waters-Maddox was arraigned on Monday afternoon by District Judge Carmine Prestia, who set straight monetary bail at $5,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 3.
