CENTER TWP — A township man with a history of drunken driving was impaired by alcohol last week when his sport utility vehicle rear-ended a tractor-trailer, authorities said.

State police Monday charged 44-year-old John D. Clark III with driving under the influence.

Clark has four prior convictions for DUI, police said, and has been a chronic offender for driving with a suspended license for more than five years.

The suspect, in his latest arrest, was driving a 1998 Honda CR-V about 1:40 a.m. Jan. 17 when he ran into the back of a big rig on Route 8 near the entrance to the Clearview Mall in Center Township.

Police said the SUV traveled across the southbound lanes and hit a utility pole.

The truck driver went to check on the other driver, who was getting out of the SUV. The trucker told police the suspect “seemed intoxicated” and had trouble standing, according to court documents.

Moments later, police said, Clark ran away.

Troopers looking for insurance papers detected a “strong odor” of alcohol in the SUV, a police affidavit said.

Nearly 21 hours later, police made contact with the defendant by telephone about 11 p.m. But he would not talk to troopers about the crash. Instead, he referred questions to his attorney, documents said.

Clark is charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license, being a habitual offender for driving under suspension and hit-and-run.

Additionally, police cited him for following too closely to another vehicle, abandoning a vehicle on a highway, careless driving, failing to stop and render aid and failing to notify police immediately after an accident.