Man Facing DUI Charges After Ramming Into Responding Police Car

UPPER DUBLIN, PA — A 37-year-old Philadelphia man is facing charges of driving under the influence after local police say he rammed into a police vehicle Friday afternoon.

A 911 call came in around 4:40 p.m. on Thursday for a report of a driver slumped over the wheel of his vehicle, and an Upper Dublin police officer responded and attempted to wake the driver, who remained asleep behind the wheel, according to police.

The incident occurred along the 1200 block of Fitzwatertown Road on the border of Upper Dublin and Abington Townships.

An Abington officer soon showed up at the scene, at which time the driver apparently was startled awake and attempted to drive off, and in the process, he slammed into the Abington police vehicle, according to Upper Dublin Deputy Police Chief Dan Wade, who said he learned the incident around 5 p.m. Friday.

"The driver woke and immediately accelerated into the front passenger side of the police car," Wade told Patch Saturday morning.

Wade said that there were no injuries to either the suspect or the responding officers.

The suspect's identity was not yet revealed since charges are pending blood lab analysis results.

"Great teamwork by the officers from Upper Dublin and Abington for preventing a potentially dangerous situation from occurring," Wade said. "It emphasizes what a great partnership we have between departments in the Eastern Montgomery County region."

Wade said police helped to prevent a situation where the driver could have easily rolled down Fitzwatertown Road had his vehicle been in drive.

Chatter on social media Friday spoke of the incident, with residents curious about the possible cause for the police commotion involving two neighboring police departments.

Photos posted online show numerous police vehicles belonging to both Upper Dublin and Abington at the scene.