Police Blotter: DUI, Home Intruder, Graffiti on Car, Dealership Intruder

Drunk Driver Crashes Into Fire Hydrant

On March ­16 at approximately 10:25 p.m., Newtown police responded to a car crash in the area of Barren and Hilltop roads. Police stated in the incident report that they found a Toyota Camry facing west in front of a fire hydrant on Hilltop Road with the front driver’s side tire flat and disabled upon arrival. Police said the fire hydrant was observed to be off the roadway on Hilltop Road.

According to a witness, police reported that the driver of the Camry had just crashed into the fire hydrant after following the driver for several miles on Route 252/Newtown Street Road and Route 3/West Chester Pike.

Police said they approached the Camry, in which the engine was still running and the headlights were still illuminated. According to police, they immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the driver of the Camry, Tiffany Schmidt, 34, of Phoenixville. Police also noted Schmidt had red, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.

In the incident report, Schmidt told police she admitted that she had a “few beers three hours ago." A breathalyzer test was performed in which a 0.369 percent alcohol blood content was detected. Police said Schmidt was unsteady on her feet when she was asked by police to exit the vehicle.

Another breathalyzer test was administered, in which a 0.374 percent alcohol blood content was detected. Schmidt refused to perform a sobriety test when police requested one, and said she had “problems with her legs,” according to the incident report.

Schmidt was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and careless driving. She was transported to Riddle Memorial Hospital for blood withdrawal. 

Glass of Resident's Front Door Gets Smashed In

On March 18 at approximately 11:15 p.m., police responded to Ridgefield Road for a reported criminal mischief incident.

According to police, the resident reported that she was disturbed by her dog barking at the front door at approximately 9:30 p.m.

The woman went out to the living room and noticed that the pane of glass in the lower right of the front door had been broken in and glass was thrown into the living room, according to the incident report.

Police believe a shovel handle sitting outside near the front door was possibly used to break the glass.

Profanity Graffitied and Petroleum Jelly Smeared On Cars  

On March 20 at approximately 5:35 p.m., police responded to a reported criminal mischief incident on a vehicle at Malley Street.

Upon arriving, police said they met the person who placed the call and told police that sometime overnight someone had scrawled the obscenity of “F--- You” in soap on the driver’s side and rear windows of his Dodge Stratus.

The caller also believed petroleum jelly was smeared on the door handles of his mother's vehicle, according to the incident report. 

Alarm Scares Off Intruder at Pontiac Buick GMC Dealership

On March 21, police arrived at O’Reilly Pontiac Buick GMC car dealership off of Route 3/West Chester Pike, for a reported intruder incident.

According to the incident report, police were called to the west side of the building where the service area door glass had been broken in and an audible alarm was sounding off upon arrival.

Marple police also reported to the scene to help secure the area with Newtown police. A K-9 unite was also requested by police, in which Upper Darby police sent a K-9 unit and two officers who conducted an interior sweep of the premises.

After investigating with the K-9 unit, police did not find anyone or anything unusual inside. The sales manager arrived to the scene and told police that nothing appeared to be disturbed inside, said police. 

Police said in the incident report that it appeared that the intruder used a heavy object to smash in the door's glass and took only one step inside before leaving. According to police, the glass was not crushed near the doorway nor was it evident anywhere in the dealership of any other footsteps taken except the point of entry.

The alarm appeared to be effective in scaring the subject off, said police in the incident report. Nothing was reported taken from the scene.

Police are still investigating this incident.