An alleged drunken driver was arrested after Butler police said he led them on a weekend pursuit before he crashed into the side of a building that houses a bowling alley in neighboring Butler Township.

Jay E. Vinroe, 53, of Renfrew is in the Butler County Prison on $10,000 bond in the incident, which began late Saturday night.

Police said they were following a pickup truck on West Cunningham Street around 11:20 p.m. when the driver turned onto Mercer Street without signaling. The officer activated his emergency lights and siren, but the driver sped away.

Patrolman Dakota Fennell pursued the truck out of the city and into the township's Lyndora section, police said. While on Whitestown Road, the suspect allegedly turned off his headlights and taillights in an apparent attempt to elude the officer.

Fennell momentarily lost sight of the pickup as it traveled past the General Butler Vagabonds building headed toward the Sherwood Lanes parking lot.

Moments later, police discovered the truck had crashed into the back side of the Sherwood Lanes building. Police noted that the bowling alley was open and there were customers inside. No one was injured.

But by the time Fennell got to the truck, police said, the driver was gone. Also gone was the key from the ignition. Police ran the license plate and found that Vinroe owned the truck.

Butler Township police, who were called to assist, subsequently found Vinroe “walking briskly” on the 600 block of Hansen Avenue, according to charging documents. He was allegedly found with the truck key. Police said he also smelled of alcohol.

Vinroe was arraigned around 8:30 a.m. Sunday on multiple misdemeanor charges, including driving without lights to avoid apprehension, fleeing and or attempting to elude police, and driving under the influence.

He also was cited for four traffic violations, including driving under a suspended license. His preliminary hearing was not immediately scheduled.

Butler County court records showed that Vinroe has two prior convictions for fleeing police in 2017 and 1999.

Jay Vinroe