A Wayne County man faces charges after troopers say he drove a beer-filled pickup truck into the Pennsylvania State Police Honesdale Station on Thursday, injuring a communications officer.
Wade Louis Rickard, 36, of Honesdale, is being held in the Wayne County Prison in lieu of $6 million bail, court records show.
State police say he crashed a 2012 Nissan Frontier into the front of the station, at 14 Collan Park, Cherry Ridge Twp., at 6:53 p.m., before fleeing on foot across state Route 191 (Lake Ariel Highway).
'Numerous' beer cans in cab
According to a police affidavit, troopers discovered "numerous amounts of both empty and full Busch Light beer cans in the cab of the truck," and said the odor of an alcoholic beverage "emanated" from the vehicle.
"The airbags were deployed and there was damage to the windshield from the inside," the affidavit states. "It appeared the operator had struck the windshield."
'Extensive' damage to building noted
State Police Cpl. Jason Traino in the affidavit states that the building's communications room and entrance "suffered extensive exterior and interior damage," which disrupted telephone service.
A police communications officer stationed at the desk was struck by communications equipment, suffering minor injuries. Three other people were in close proximity at the time of the crash, Traino stated.
A trooper armed with a ballistic shield and an AR-15 rifle cleared the entrance and discovered that the pickup truck was still running, but there was no one around it.
A records check of the truck showed Rickard was the owner.
'I'm drunk,' Rickard allegedy tells trooper
Wayne County 911 informed state police that Rickard was spotted on nearby Ski Run Road shirtless, shoeless and with blood on his hand.
A trooper responding to the area stopped his vehicle, got out, and advised Rickard to comply with his commands.
After being taken into custody, the trooper asked Rickard what he was doing, to which he replied "I'm drunk," the affidavit states.
Rickard was transported to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where troopers say he refused to consent to have his blood drawn.
Troopers obtained a search warrant and were able to legally have blood taken from Rickard later Thursday night.
State police interviewed Rickard's parents at the Honesdale station, where they said there was no reason for their son to be travelling on state Route 191.
"The defendant's father believed the crash was intentional," Traino's affidavit states.
The charges against Rickard include aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.
