BUTLER TWP — An Allegheny County man is wanted on charges he led police on a high-speed chase through at least two municipalities early Saturday morning.

The suspect, 41-year-old Robert J. Finley of West Mifflin, already has a checkered driving record, including seven prior convictions for driving with a suspended license, according to court documents.

Butler Township police initially found Finley about 3:15 a.m. passed out behind the wheel of a still running car in the drive-through lane at the McDonald’s restaurant in the Greater Butler Mart.

An officer had to rap on the driver’s window to awaken the defendant, who had his foot on the brake. Police noticed an empty bottle of vodka on the passenger side floor and it appeared the suspect was intoxicated.

But before police could get Finley out of the car, documents said, he revved the engine and sped out of the shopping center, taking off north on Route 8 toward Butler.

City police were notified and quickly joined in the chase that continued onto Hansen Avenue. Finley blew through numerous red lights and stop signs on his way through Butler, police said.

At one point the defendant drove onto an embankment at Hansen Avenue and New Castle Street. Just east of there, police noted, they had laid down spike strips in a bid to stop his getaway.

But Finley eventually got away from township and city police as well as state police, who joined in the search.

A review of Finley’s record, meanwhile, showed seven convictions for driving with a suspended license. Six of those priors were driving under the influence-related suspensions.

Under state law, driving with a suspended or revoked license is a summary offense, like a traffic ticket. But habitual offenders risk higher fines and other penalties, including mandatory jail time.

In Pennsylvania, drivers face 30 days to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for a sixth or subsequent conviction for driving with a suspended or revoked license.

The penalties for a DUI-related license suspension, however, are more harsh. The first offense carries a $500 fine and mandatory minimum 60-day jail sentence, depending on the person’s blood alcohol level.

A conviction for driving while suspended also adds one year to the license suspension.

There is a two-year license suspension for drivers designated as “habitual offenders,” meaning they have accumulated, within five years, three separate convictions for specific vehicle code offenses, including driving with a suspended license.

Butler Township police on Monday obtained an arrest warrant for Finley, who is charged with a felony count of fleeing or attempting to elude police and misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and being a habitual offender for driving with a suspended license.

He also was cited for 20 traffic violations, including driving under suspension, reckless driving and careless driving.

Additional violations include five counts each of running a stop sign and not stopping at a red light, three counts of disregarding a flashing red light, two counts of disregarding a caution signal, and having an open container of alcohol.