Drunk Man Crashed Into Pole, Tried to Flee, Cops Say

A 20-year-old Wayne man was drunk when he struck a utility pole and fled before returning to the scene on Parish Drive Sunday night, township police said.

Raymond Morales, 20, was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

A resident reported hearing a loud crash outside his home at 8:40 p.m. and saw two males standing by an Audi A4 after it crashed into the pole, the report said. Morales and an 18-year-old passenger then ran toward the Preakness Valley Golf Course, according to the report.

The men returned to the scene 10 minutes later, the report states.

The passenger in the vehicle told police Morales was on French Hill Road and tried to make a left onto Parish Drive when the vehicle struck the pole, the report states.

Morales told police that he “had a few beers" earlier that night, according to the report.

Morales failed several field sobriety tests, the report states. He had a deep cut on his hand and was transported to St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital for treatment.

He is scheduled to appear in Wayne Municipal Court Tuesday.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.