Suspected Drunk Driver Almost Hits Stopped Patrol Cars: Newtown PD

NEWTOWN TWP., PA — Officers arrested a driver who almost hit Newtown Police Department cruisers on the Newtown Bypass Sunday morning, according to police reports.

Officers were conducting a traffic stop around 2:30 a.m. when "the operator of a black Hummer drove past and nearly struck the patrol vehicles on scene," Newtown Police said.

An officer pulled over the vehicle and "detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage," according to police. The driver "was unable to satisfactorily perform field sobriety tests," police said.

Police arrested the driver for suspicion of driving under the influence and refusing to submit to blood tests. Charges are pending, police said. The person arrested has not been identified.

Newtown Police reminded residents that Pennsylvania law "requires drivers approaching an emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the response area to 'pass the emergency response area at a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and reasonable for safely passing.' An emergency response area is where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs, or tried to warn travelers."