Corey Doerr

BUTLER TWP — A police officer had to activate his “man down” button Sunday afternoon during a scuffle with a suspected drunken driver.

Butler Township Patrolman Jon Schaffner was injured, but managed to gain control of and arrest Corey C. Doerr, 27, of Templeton, during the altercation about 4:40 p.m. at the Point Plaza parking lot. Despite being handcuffed, police said Doerr tried to kick out the windows of a cruiser, threatened Schaffner and shoved another officer at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Doerr was being held in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail, facing felonies for allegedly assaulting officers and driving under the influence.

Police suspect Doerr crashed a sport utility vehicle he was driving into a utility pole and two mailboxes along Alameda Road and drove away east on New Castle Road in the badly damaged vehicle. A woman was riding in the car.

A short time later police found the suspect vehicle disabled in the parking lot of Point Plaza. The passenger side was damaged and the rear passenger side tire was hanging off.

Schaffner said he found Doerr in the driver's seat and the woman in the passenger seat. The officer advised the defendant that he was investigating a crash. According to court documents, Doerr denied being in a wreck despite damage to the vehicle and the front air bag being deployed, Police said while speaking to the suspect, they smelled alcohol on his breath. He refused to give them his driver's license and vehicle information.

Schaffner told Doerr he was under arrest and grabbed his left arm. Police reported Doerr initially pulled away and the officer lost his grip while pulling him from the vehicle.

The defendant landed on his back but still struggled with Schaffner. Schaffner wrote in his affidavit that “Doerr continued to resist, trying to grab my arms, shoulders and uniform.”

At some point, Schaffner hit his “man down” button, which sends out an emergency alert when activated on police portable radios.

Schaffner suffered injuries to his neck and right thumb but was able to handcuff the suspect a short time before backup got there.

Doerr allegedly kicked at the windows while in the back of a cruiser, Additionally, he allegedly threatened to beat up Schaffner and threatened the officer's family while being taken to Butler Memorial Hospital.

He was treated at the hospital for unknown injuries. He also submitted to a blood draw.

Police report that while at the hospital, Doerr allegedly shoved Patrolman David Tedeski while attempting to get at Schaffner. Police noted that Doerr has three prior DUIs, in 2104, 2016 and 2017.

District Judge Bill O'Donnell arraigned Doerr on two felony counts of aggravated assault and felony DUI since this was his fourth drunken driving offense.

He also was arraigned on misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and resisting arrest and several traffic violations including driving with a suspended license, driving without a license and hit-and-run.