Anthony Cousins

SAXONBURG — District Judge Sue Haggerty on Wednesday increased the bail for an alleged repeat drugged driver.

Haggerty said she hiked Anthony M. Cousins' bail from $15,000 to $50,000 “because of the seriousness of the incident and because he could be a risk to the community.”

Cousins, 24, of Franklin Township got the news after waiving his preliminary hearing at Haggerty's office in Saxonburg on felony charges in the latest drugged driving case.

The defendant has been in the Butler County Prison since April 26 when Penn Township police arrested him following a head-on crash that left a man hospitalized with serious injuries.

Police said they suspect Cousins was high on cocaine and opiates about 1 p.m. March 16 when his sport utility vehicle slammed into an oncoming Jeep on Route 8.

The other driver, 60-year-old Kenneth Fry of Butler, remains at a Pittsburgh hospital for injuries in the crash, police Sgt. Cheryl Cranmer said Wednesday.

He required a tracheotomy due to broken ribs that made breathing difficult. He also suffered a severe foot injury.

Once discharged from the hospital, Cranmer said, Fry will need rehabilitation services.

Police charged Cousins with aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence of a controlled substance, a felony, and DUI.

It was his second arrest in less than four months for driving while on drugs.

The previous drugged driving arrest, filed by state police, followed a Dec. 6 traffic stop on Route 356 in Jefferson Township.

In that incident, troopers said they found five empty stamp bags of suspected heroin, three hypodermic needles and a drug-cooking spoon in the suspect's SUV.

He previously waived his preliminary hearing in that case. He is charged with DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia and several traffic violations.

At Cousins' April 26 arraignment in the second case, Haggerty initially set bail at $15,000 bail, denying his attorney's request for an unsecured bond that would keep his client out of prison.

She upped the bail Wednesday, she said, due to concerns for public safety and after learning that the defendant had not successfully completed a drug rehabilitation program.

Cousins' attorney, Ronald Makoski of Greensburg, Westmoreland County, made no comment after the change. He also did not return a telephone call later Wednesday.

Russ Karl, a county assistant district attorney assigned to prosecute the case Wednesday, said he agreed with the judge.

“I believe he's both a danger to the community,” Karl said, “and to himself.”