Eric Mulneix

A man with a half dozen prior convictions for drunken driving is behind bars after he was caught again allegedly driving under the influence in Butler.

City police said Eric J. Mulneix, 54, of Butler, admitted to “messing up” shortly after 9:10 p.m. Thursday when they saw him nearly hit another vehicle on West Jefferson Street. He blamed his erratic driving on being angry with his daughter, police said.

Mulneix smelled of alcohol, police said, and he subsequently showed impairment during field sobriety tests.

Police called for a tow of his pickup and an inventory search allegedly turned up three stamp bags of suspected heroin on the driver's side floor.

Mulneix was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for a blood test, which he refused.

Police said they checked his criminal history and found he has six previous convictions — three of them being within the past 10 years.

In Pennsylvania, someone with three or more offenses for drunken driving in a 10-year period is charged with third-degree felony DUI. Under state law, that grading carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine

District Judge Lewis Stoughton arraigned Mulneix on felony charges of driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs and DUI, a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance and a summary charge of reckless driving. He was placed in the Butler County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bond.

Stoughton in setting bond also imposed the condition that Mulneix had to be released to the county probation office for pretrial supervision. Additionally, if released, Mulneix is required to wear a Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor, an ankle bracelet that immediately alerts law enforcement and probation and parole officers when the person wearing the device consumes alcohol.

His preliminary hearing is set for Monday. Online court records did not indicate if he has an attorney.