Charges filed against driver, allegedly high All 3 vehicle occupants were injured in 2-car crash
Police recently filed charges against a 37-year-old Butler man involved in a February crash after learning he was allegedly high on multiple drugs at the time of the multi-vehicle wreck.
On Monday, District Judge Kevin O'Donnell arraigned Michael L. Hodges on 14 charges, including two felony counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence and two felony counts of accidents involving death or injury while not licensed.
According to court documents, on the evening of Feb. 6, Butler Township police responded to a two-car crash on the Route 68 bridge near Delwood Road. All three people involved in the accident had to be hospitalized, according to the police report, including Hodges.
At the time of the crash, police identified Hodges as the driver of a car that crossed into oncoming traffic, colliding with another car driven by George Leidhecker V, of Butler. Randal Peevey, also of Butler, was a passenger in the vehicle driven by Hodges.
Hodges was transported to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for medical treatment where he also was given a urine analysis. Earlier this month, police finally received the results of the analysis, which showed Hodges allegedly tested positive for benzodiazepine and cannabis.
Benzodiazepine is a class of drugs associated with anti-anxiety medication like Xanax.
Hodges was on electronic monitoring at the time of the accident for a conviction in a separate criminal case involving receiving stolen property. Police accessed the information from the monitor and determined Hodges was going nearly 20 miles per hour faster than the posted speed limit of 45 mph along that stretch of road.
One witness told police she was driving west on Route 68 when she saw Hodges pass her as she was crossing the bridge.
The witness told authorities she saw Hodges cross a double-yellow line and “she immediately knew (Hodges) was going to cause an accident.” Court documents report the woman allegedly slowed down and watched as Hodges hit the car being driven by Leidhecker head on while Hodges was driving in the wrong traffic lane.
All three men needed to be extracted from the vehicles, according to an earlier report.
A reconstruction team with the state police was called in and determined Hodges was going between 66 to 72 mph within a short period leading up to the crash.
Police said Hodges sustained a broken femur and forearm. His passenger, Peevey, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital and sustained a fractured sternum and an unspecified neck/head injury. Leidhecker was transported to Butler Memorial Hospital where he was treated for a shattered left tibia.
Hodges was released on his own recognizance and his preliminary hearing is scheduled July 23, according to court documents, which do not list him as having a lawyer.
