Arnold police say man wanted on DUI warrant was driving with no license, high on crack

Arnold police working with state and county agents arrested a man wanted on a warrant and filed drug and other charges against him after he almost caused an accident while driving high on crack with a suspended license, according to authorities.

Michael Thomas McCarthy, 41, of the 500 block of Esther Avenue in New Kensington was charged with felony counts of possession of drugs with the intent to deliver and driving under the influence. He also is charged with giving false identification to police, drug possession, driving drunk with a suspended license, driving without a license and careless driving.

McCarthy faces a preliminary hearing on the charges before District Justice Frank J. Pallone Jr. on May 18.

A warrant had been issued for McCarthy’s arrest after he was ordered to stand trial for a second DUI charge but failed to appear for a court hearing. The charges were filed by Frazer police in January 2020, court records show.

Arnold police wrote in a criminal complaint that officers were working with a task force of agents from the state Attorney General’s Office on April 19 after receiving complaints about drug activity at a home on Third Avenue.

Police pulled over a red Chevrolet Cobalt seen leaving a home in the 1600 block of Third Avenue after the driver jammed on the brakes and nearly caused the vehicle behind him to crash, the complaint said.

Investigators said McCarthy gave them a false name. He appeared to be high because he had pinpoint pupils and his speech was fast and unintelligible, investigators said.

An officer on scene recognized McCarthy from a previous encounter in which he gave a false name to police, according to the complaint. When they found out his correct name, they found the arrest warrant, police said.

A glass crack pipe that had been used was found in the driver’s door pocket of McCarthy’s vehicle, and he had a bag with 0.4 grams of the drug in his pocket when they searched him, the complaint said.

McCarthy refused to allow his blood to be drawn and tested to determine if there were drugs or alcohol in his system, telling officers, “Just take me to state prison, I got high,” according to the complaint.