Driver Taken into Custody for Suspicion of DUI in Upper Gwynedd Crash

Wednesday, May 23 Update:

Upper Gwynedd Township Police said formal charges of DUI are pending further investigation in an accident in Upper Gwynedd Tuesday night involving a 22-year-old man and a 19-year-old girl.

Police said the man was a driver of a white Chevrolet Camaro  which crashed into a blue Hyundai Elantra at McNair Drive and Valley Forge Road around 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.

The driver of the Camaro was taken into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence, police said, and formal charges are pending further investigation.

Police said the 19-year-old girl was trapped in her vehicle following the accident.

The girl was extricated from the vehicle and she was transported to Lansdale Hospital for treatment of injuries, police said.

The man was uninjured, police said.

Tuesday story below:

Valley Forge Road was closed between North Penn High School and Snyder Road Tuesday night following a serious two-car crash at around 9:20 p.m. that sent both drivers to the hospital.

A white Chevrolet Camaro that had been northbound on Valley Forge Road broadsided a dark blue Hyundai Elantra that witnesses said appeared to be trying to cross or turn onto the road from Snyder Road.

The Hyundai was knocked onto its passenger side by the impact of the crash, trapping the female driver, who at one point could be seen standing inside the overturned car, with her head upright through the driver's side window.

Emergency responders removed the car's windshield to extricate her from the vehicle. She was transported from the scene by the

Towamencin resident Steve Wherry, who lives near the intersection, was among the first to arrive at the scene after hearing the accident from his home on Amber Lane.

"When I came up, the guy was out of his car, talking to the girl," Wherry said. "The girl was stuck in the car, with her head sticking up out of the window. She couldn’t get out. She wasn’t pinned or anything, but she was in a lot of pain."

Wherry said he saw the driver of the Camaro collecting four beer bottles from the surface of the road and placing them inside his vehicle.

"The guy saw there was two to four bottles on the ground and wobbled over, grabbed a couple, and threw them in the car," Wherry said. "He didn’t have the wherewithal to notice the other two. It could be he was under the influence."

Two beer bottles, that were still visible in the road when a reporter arrived at the scene, were picked up by Upper Gwynedd police officers. The driver of the Camaro was seen speaking to police officers, according to Wherry.

Sgt. Benjamin Townsend, of Upper Gwynedd Police, could not comment on the collection of beer bottles as evidence.

"We are still investigating," Townsend said. "We have to talk to the two drivers, who were taken to the hospital."

In one sense, the accident was well timed. Upper Gwynedd Fire Department Assistant Chief Chris Sharkey said the department had just completed a training session involving rescuing people trapped in cars turned on their side when the accident occurred.

The accident scene was cleared by 10:30 p.m.

Upper Gwynedd Fire Department and Police were assisted at the scene by Towamencin Vol. Fire Co. and Towamencin Police.