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Man gets car stuck over cliff near Butler Memorial Hospital, charged with DUI

Outside of the Tower entrance at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday afternoon. Butler Eagle photo

A Chicora man's vehicle went over an embankment while he was driving under the influence in the Butler Memorial Hospital parking lot, according to police.

Derek I. Michael, 27, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor DUI and summary careless driving after police said he lost control of his standard shift Subaru WRX near the helicopter pad around 10:45 p.m. Feb. 15.

Documents showed Michael was driving in the parking lot when he struck the landscape by the helicopter pad and the vehicle went over an embankment, leaving him stuck between the hospital entrance on East Jefferson Street and the parking lot.

Police said Michael attempted to jump the vehicle back onto the road, but struck a guide rail and was hanging over the hillside.

Michael told police he was attempting to visit someone at the hospital who was no longer there at the time of the crash, document showed.

Field sobriety tests showed Michael was impaired, and a later blood test showed his blood alcohol content at 0.217%. In Pennsylvania, the legal limit is 0.08%.

Michael’s preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.

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