A Manheim Township man crashed his vehicle while driving drunk in the early morning hours of October 31, injuring three passengers of his that they had to be taken to the hospital, police said.
James Richard Fisher, 34, called police to report he had crashed his vehicle in the 6500 block of Steltz Road in Township, New Freedom, Pennsylvania and that he had been consuming alcohol prior to the crash, charging documents state.
When police reached the scene, firefighters were pulling a rear passenger out of the vehicle, documents suggest. A second passenger had been taken to York Hospital by ambulance and a third passenger was being airlifted to the hospital, police added.
According to police, one man suffered a broken femur and another was unconscious.
Fisher reportedly refused to do any field sobriety tests and informed police he knew he was already over the legal limit and should not be driving, charging documents state. Although he offered to take a breath test and blood test to check his blood-alcohol level.
Court documents state that Fisher informed police he’d had five beers and about four shots of 100 proof liquor and that he had his last drink right before getting in the car.
He said he was driving at about 55 mph, police added.
Fisher is charged with the felonies of aggravated assault by car and aggravated assault by a car while driving under the influence, and also the misdemeanor of driving under the influence in a first offense and summary traffic violations.
He was released on $10,000 bail and his initial hearing is set for November 25 before District Judge Thomas Reilly.
