Whitehall Police Charge Man with DUI at Provost-Weyman Road Closure

Whitehall Borough police are charging a man with driving under the influence of alcohol after an incident at the Provost Road-Weyman Road closure area on Thursday, Whitehall police Chief Donald R. Dolfi said.

The area had been closed nightly to motorists since July 22 due to Columbia Gas work, but William Albert Brown, 50, of Crane Avenue in Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood, ignored a barrier, a marked police car and a flashing yellow light at around 11:55 on Thursday and tried to drive through the closure anyway, Dolfi said.

Once Brown's vehicle couldn't go any farther due to the utility work, Dolfi said, Brown backed his vehicle up and was met by a Whitehall police officer.

The officer detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Brown's vehicle, according to the chief, and put the driver through field-sobriety tests, which he failed, before arresting him for suspicion of DUI.

The officer then took Brown to Jefferson Regional Medical Center for a blood test (results pending) before his release.

Brown was also found to be in possession of unprescribed medication, Dolfi said, and is also being charged with possession of a controlled substance and with various motor vehicle code violations.