Driver charged, jailed after Route 308 wreck
CLAY TWP — A township man allegedly high on drugs was apparently so impaired that he believed snow on the road Sunday was to blame for him crashing his car, authorities said.
The suspect, 61-year-old Philip J. Romito, is also accused of reaching for a trooper's duty belt while trying to prevent his arrest at the crash scene in the 100 block of Route 308.
District Judge Wayne Seibel arraigned Romito on charges of resisting arrest, driving under the influence and illegally driving a vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock system.
Police also cited him for driving on the wrong side of the road, disregarding traffic lanes and careless driving.
He was placed in the Butler County Prison on $5,000 bail following arraignment.
Police said they found Romito in an emergency vehicle after being called for the wreck around 6 a.m.
“The defendant advised he crashed due to a snow (covered) roadway,” according to court documents.
The investigating trooper, however, noted in his affidavit that no snow fell overnight and the temperature only got as low as 51 degrees.
Police said Romito showed signs of being impaired on drugs during field sobriety tests. He also allegedly admitted to recently using marijuana and the prescription medication gabapentin and trazodone.
When police tried to handcuff the defendant, documents said, he pulled away and “attempted to grab at items on (a) trooper's duty belt.”
