Mineral Ridge man cited for DUI after city crash

YOUNGSTOWN — A Mineral Ridge man was cited for driving under the influence and hit skip after almost backing into a police cruiser in a 311 Park Ave. parking lot on the North Side about 8:45 p.m. Monday.

Reports said an officer was sitting in a cruiser when an SUV driven by George Walchak, 41, of Morris Street, traveled across the parking lot in reverse and stopped abruptly in the middle of the parking lot in front of the cruiser.

The officer got out and checked and found Walchak slumped over the steering wheel with the engine running and the car still in reverse. Reports said the officer reached in and turned the key off and Walchak smelled of alcohol and could not stand up without holding on to the door.

The SUV also had heavy front end damage and matched the description of an SUV that collided with another vehicle on the nearby Service Road. The driver of that vehicle identified Walchak's SUV as the one that collided with her vehicle, police said.

Walchak was taken to St Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to be examined, where he agreed to take a blood test, reports said.