Michigan Man Accused of Intentionally Ramming into Vehicle Outside State College Hotel, Charged with Attempted Assault While DUI

A Michigan man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after police say he intentionally drove his pickup truck into another vehicle while drunk outside a State College hotel then fled the scene.

At about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, a man reported he was driving on the 300 block of West College Avenue when a driver, later identified as 28-year-old Michael J. Cardinal, of Taylor, Michigan, attempted to pass him on the right and struck his passenger side mirror.

Cardinal did not stop and the other man followed him onto North Atherton Street and into the parking lot of the Sleep Inn, 111 Village Drive, in an attempt to exchange information, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by State College police.

The two men exchanged words in the parking lot and the alleged victim mentioned calling the police about the crash. Cardinal then pulled from the parking spot and proceeded to speed around the lot before ramming his truck into the driver’s side of the other man’s vehicle, police wrote.

The man was still in the vehicle at the time and Cardinal was driving fast enough that the impact caused all airbags to deploy and move the vehicle several feet, according to the affidavit.

Cardinal allegedly fled and traveled to the 800 block of Thomas Street, where he admitted he was trying to hide from officers.

He told officers that he had been drinking and was “a little buzzed,” police wrote. He allegedly admitted to “ramming that asshole” and said the other man was lucky that was all he did.

While being taken to the State College police station for standardized field sobriety tests, Cardinal intentionally slammed his forehead into the glass barricade between the driver’s compartment and the patrol car cage, according to the affidavit. An officer then took him to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where he consented to a blood draw that was sent to the state police lab for testing.

Cardinal is charged with a felony count of attempted aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, driving under the influence and accidents involving damage to attended vehicles and summary offenses of reckless driving and careless driving.

He was arraigned on Sunday by District Judge Casey McClain, who set bail at 10% of $25,000. Cardinal was unable to post bail and is lodged at the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.