A Hempfield man is accused by state police of driving drunk during a March crash that left another motorist with an ankle injury requiring three surgeries, according to court papers.
Nicholas John Decaro, 26, was arrested Monday. He is free on $20,000 unsecured bond.
Troopers responded to Edna Road in Hempfield just after 2 a.m. March 27 for a report of a two-vehicle crash with entrapment. Decaro told police he was driving home from a club where he had been drinking, according to court papers.
A preliminary breath test showed he was intoxicated, investigators said. The injured motorist, who told police he also was driving home after drinking at an area establishment, said the other vehicle veered into his lane and the two collided, according to court papers. Tire and gouge marks at the scene supported his statement, police said.
Decaro was treated for minor injuries at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg. Troopers said blood drawn there showed his blood-alcohol content was 0.18%. The legal limit to drive in Pennsylvania is 0.08%.
The injured man spent nearly a month at AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville. Police said he broke the ankle, a femur and several ribs in the crash. He was not permitted to walk on the broken ankle for at least six weeks, according to court papers.
Decaro is charged with aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence and related offenses. A preliminary hearing is set for July 1. Attorney David Regoli described Decaro as a “good kid” who made a mistake. He declined further comment.
Decaro does not have a criminal history in Pennsylvania, according to online court records.
