Trooper, officers nearly struck by drunken driver on SR 82

HOWLAND

A trooper and two township police officers investigating a traffic accident were nearly struck by a drunken driver early today.

At about 2:45 a.m., Andrew Doyle, 31, of Girard, was traveling northbound on state Route 82 in Howland township and ran into an Ohio State Highway Patrol vehicle that was parked in the left lane with its lights on. Two Howland police officers standing near the car dove out of the way of Doyle’s vehicle, OHSP said.

Doyle tested for a .194 blood alcohol content, which is two times the legal limit. Both vehicles sustained damage, and no one was injured in the incident.

Doyle was charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired, failure to slow down for a public safety vehicle and operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of .170 or higher.