CLAY TWP — A township man was nearly three-and-a-half times over the legal limit for alcohol Saturday evening when he led troopers on a slow-speed chase, state police said.

James R. Bell, 47, was arrested after pulling over at his home on Route 173. He also later resisted arrest, police said.

Police initially spotted the suspect about 5:50 p.m. traveling on Timblin Road in Clay Township in a 2004 Ford Escape with an expired inspection sticker,

Trooper Brian Palko turned around and activated his emergency lights and siren but the suspect did not stop, according to court documents.

Instead, police said, Bell continued driving at “a slow rate” onto Route 173. His vehicle crossed the double-yellow line twice before he got home. Once there, police said, he waved Palko up to his vehicle.

The trooper suspected Bell was intoxicated but the suspect refused to get out of his vehicle. At one point, police said, he tried to restart the vehicle.

Other officers arrived and Bell was eventually pulled out and taken to the ground. He continued to struggle with the officers until they placed him in handcuffs.

A breath test later showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.274 percent. A level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated under state law.

District Judge Sue Haggerty on Sunday arraigned the defendant on a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police and misdemeanor charges of DUI, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

He also is charged with public drunkenness, driving with a suspended license-DUI related, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving without insurance and without valid inspection, driving on the wrong side of the road, disregarding traffic lanes and careless driving.

Bell was placed in the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail following arraignment.