Alcohol suspected after driver crashes into tree in Washington County, police say
Police in Washington County are investigating after a man nearly crashed into a house and left the scene in Coal Center on Sunday night.
As Jessica Smith was making dinner, she and her family suddenly heard loud noises outside her home.
"We heard a metal clink, and then a boom, and the house shook," Smith said.
She came outside to find that the driver of a car crashed into a tree.
"It wasn't until I heard 'ugh' that I looked over and saw that there was a car in the tree," Smith said.
The man behind the wheel was unconscious, but seconds later, after Smith grabbed her phone to call 911, that all changed.
"He got out of the car, and he said, 'I don't want to be around for this,' grabbed his beer and took off," Jessica said.
Jessica said the can of beer was open, and he smelled like alcohol as he walked away, bleeding from his head.
First responders from California Borough requested the help of firefighters from Fallowfield to use a thermal imaging drone.
Chris Ceccarelli with Fallowfield said that using the technology, they spotted the man about 100 to 200 yards away from the scene, about 10 minutes after deployment. It took another five minutes to locate him on the ground for EMS crews to transport him to the hospital.
"We were able to find him quicker, so he didn't end up with hypothermia," Ceccarelli said. "In my 30 years of doing this, the technology has just bloomed."
California Police Chief Jim Smith told KDKA that investigators suspect alcohol played a factor in the incident.
As for Smith, she's just grateful to be alive, knowing things could have been much worse.
"Thank God for the tree," Jessica said. "His 100 percent lack of regard for my safety, my children's safety, for even his own safety, for leaving an accident, I really feel like he deserves what's coming to him."
Chief Smith said charges are pending as the investigation continues.