North Carolina resident charged again with DUI
SUMMIT TWP — Just six days after allegedly leading troopers on a not-so-fast alcohol-impaired chase, a North Carolina man was again arrested for drunken driving.
But this time, police said, Jason D. Lechner, 45, of Elizabeth City didn't try to get away.
Instead, according to court documents, shortly after 6:30 p.m. May 11 he pulled over onto the grass along Route 38 in Summit Township, got out of his car and laid down — face first — on the ground.
When police searched him, they say they found an aspirin bottle containing suspected marijuana.
A breath test later showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.144 percent. A level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated under state law.
Lechner in the latest case was set to have a preliminary hearing Tuesday at the office of District Judge Lewis Stoughton in Chicora.
Instead, he waived to court charges of driving under the influence, possession of a small amount of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The defendant is being held in the Butler County Prison on $15,000 bail.
He is scheduled to have another preliminary hearing May 24, at the office of District Judge Bill O'Donnell in Slippery Rock on charges stemming from his earlier DUI arrest.
In that case, state police accused him of being drunk May 5 when he led police on a chase through two municipalities.
Troopers said Lechner about 9 p.m. left a bar on Route 8 in Brady Township and was spotted running a stop sign on Hall Road.
An officer activated his emergency lights and siren and began chasing the vehicle after he failed to stop while southbound on Hall Road.
The chase, however, was a slow speed one, police said, and continued across Hall and Claytonia roads in Clay Township.
Lechner eventually turned onto McGregor Road and traveled until stopping at a home's driveway. A subsequent breath test showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.097 percent.
He was arraigned on a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police. He also is charged with DUI and four traffic violations.
Following his arraignment, he was released on his own recognizance.
