DUBOIS – A hit-and-run accident has resulted in charges against a Penfield man.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed with District Judge Patrick Ford’s office Feb. 25, Jason Douglas Ingram, 38, 15276 Bennetts Valley Hwy., Penfield, is charged by the DuBois City police with driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, accidents involving damage to attended vehicles or property, driving without a license, careless driving, driving without lights to avoid identification or arrest and one summary traffic charge.
According to the affidavit, on Feb. 6, officers were dispatched to a hit-and-run accident at the Sheetz store on North Brady Street. While on their way to the accident, police received information that the vehicle involved in the accident was traveling on South Third Street with the headlights turned off.
Officers then discovered a vehicle in the parking lot at Shower’s Field. As the officers approached the vehicle, the driver, later identified as Ingram, drove through the parking lot against the flow of traffic, through a snow pile in the center median and continued toward Maple Avenue. The vehicle attempted to make a left turn onto South Third Street and drifted to the right, then drove off the and into the snow, becoming immobilized.
The officer could see the vehicle had front end damage, the front bumper was hanging off and the front passenger side tire was deflated.
As Ingram attempted get out of his vehicle, he was very unsteady on his feet and nearly fell multiple times. The officer asked Ingram why he didn’t stop when he hit the vehicle on South Brady Street and Ingram allegedly said he didn’t know he had hit any other vehicles. Ingram was put into a patrol vehicle and taken back to the scene of the accident.
The victims told police they were stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of South Brady Street and Shaffer Avenue when their vehicle was struck by a vehicle matching the description of Ingram’s vehicle. The victims pulled over at the Subway parking lot, but the other vehicle kept going.
A witness to the accident said he had been following Ingram’s vehicle before they reached the Sandy Bridge. The witness said Ingram’s vehicle had struck the bridge before hitting the victim’s vehicle from behind. The witness said he continued to follow Ingram, who failed to stop for a stop sign, then turned off his headlights before pulling into the parking lot of Shower’s Field, where police found Ingram’s vehicle.
Ingram was showing signs of impairment, but the officers could not smell any alcohol, so a Drug Recognition Expert was requested. The DRE evaluated Ingram and felt there was sufficient indication that Ingram was under the influence of narcotics.
Ingram was taken to Penn Highlands DuBois for blood testing which was positive for Clonazepam, Methadone, Zolpidem, Carisoprodol, Meprobamate and Diphenhydramine.