Fulton Township man accused in DUI crash that critically injured teen passenger heads to county court
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA – A 20-year-old man from Fulton Township will face county court after waiving his preliminary hearing earlier this month on charges connected to a DUI crash that left a 17-year-old passenger with life-threatening injuries.
Jere Rus Mendenhall III, of Balance Meeting Road, is charged with aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, DUI, purchase of an alcoholic beverage by a minor, and multiple traffic offenses. He appeared in Lancaster County DUI Central Court on September 4, where the case was ordered to proceed.
The charges stem from a crash on Sunday, August 31, when Mendenhall’s vehicle veered off Honeysuckle Road in Little Britain Township and struck a tree just before 6 p.m. Investigators say skid marks showed the car briefly entered the opposite lane before swerving into the tree.
The 17-year-old passenger inside the vehicle suffered severe head trauma and was airlifted to the hospital. Two other passengers were not seriously hurt.
State police said Mendenhall appeared sluggish at the scene and struggled to explain what had happened. He allegedly admitted to drinking, saying he had not consumed “that much” alcohol. A preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.117%. An open container was also found inside the car.
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Mendenhall later consented to a blood draw. The charges were filed by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jack Daly. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kyle Linardo.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Key Points
- Fulton Township man charged in DUI crash that left 17-year-old critically injured
- Vehicle struck tree after veering off Honeysuckle Road in Little Britain Township
- Jere Rus Mendenhall III waived preliminary hearing; case moves to county court