Driver's BAC Was 5 Times Legal Limit In Double Fatal Tredyffrin Crash: Cops

Justin Heinze:

The Berwyn man who was driving during a fatal crash that killed himself and his brother was extremely intoxicated, the Tredyffrin Township Police Department announced Tuesday.

Thomas McAleer, 52, had a blood alcohol content of .398 at the time of the Tredyffrin crash on October 2, which is about five times the legal limit. The legal limit in Pennsylvania is .08.

THC was also found in his system, an active ingredient in marijuana and other drugs.

McAleer was traveling with his brother, Michael, 54, on Glenn Avenue at about 4:30 on Oct. 2 when the vehicle swerved off the road, struck a curb, a sign and a stone wall. The car then flipped onto its roof and landed in a pond upside down, police said.

Both the speed of the car and the wet conditions of the roadway were believed to be contributing factors in the accident, according to police reports.

The Chester County Coroners Office ruled that both brothers died due to drowning.

The investigation into the accident is now closed.