File photo. Photo by James Short.
A Whitpain Township man has been charged with felony DUI following a single-vehicle crash on Morris Road earlier this month.
Police were dispatched to the scene of the crash near the intersection with Mathers Road at 12:16 a.m. on March 3. Investigators said a black Mercedes CLS450 had been traveling eastbound on Morris Road when it swerved off the roadway into a ditch, struck a caution sign, sideswiped a utility pole and then came to rest after striking a curb.
Police said the driver of the vehicle, later identified as 48-year-old Adel Khemiri, was no longer on scene at the time of their arrival.
According to the criminal complaint, police traced the vehicle back to Khemiri’s home on Jamie Court, and upon arrival at that location, investigators observed a vehicle arriving at the residence with Khemiri inside in the passenger’s seat. Khemiri allegedly admitted to operating the vehicle at the time of the crash, later adding he had contacted someone to pick him up because he was scared after crashing his vehicle, the report states.
Police described Khemiri as having red and glassy eyes, speaking with slow, drawn-out speech and having an odor of alcohol emanating from his person. The complaint states Khemiri failed a series of sobriety tests, and a blood test later allegedly showed his blood-alcohol concentration to be .175%.
Khemiri is quoted in the complaint as saying he had several drinks prior to driving, and the crash occurred after a deer ran in front of his vehicle, causing him to swerve and crash.
In addition to the felony DUI charge, Khemiri has also been charged with a misdemeanor count of DUI and a summary count of failing to notify police of an accident. Court records show the charges were filed on March 18 and his first court appearance is a preliminary hearing at 10:30 a.m. on April 18 in front of Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
