Man Falls Asleep at Wheel, Gets DUI, Police Say

A 22-year-old Phoenixville man was charged with DUI after police say they found him asleep at the wheel of a running vehicle at the intersection of Route 23 and Mowere Road.

On March 18 at 2:39 a.m., an East Pikeland Police officer watched a green Mazda sit motionless on Mowere Road, facing Route 23, while the traffic light twice cycled from red to green.

According to court documents, the officer activated his emergency lights and approached the car. Inside, he found the driver asleep, with the car running and in drive and the man’s foot on the brake. Police say the officer woke the driver and he, disoriented, put the car in park and turned off the engine.

Police say the man smelled strongly of alcohol. When the officer asked the driver for his ID, he tried to hand him a $20 bill three times, according to court documents. This appears to have been out of confusion, rather than an attempt at a bribe.

The man took and failed field sobriety tests and was taken to Phoenixville Hospital to have blood drawn for testing, according to court documents. He was charged with DUI and faces preliminary hearing on April 25.