Semencar charged after police follow fluid trail to find his location
A Huntingdon Valley man said he was returning home from a funeral when police reported to a hit-and-run accident and tracked him down.
Upper Dublin Township Police Department was called out to the area of Virginia Drive and Camp Hill Road on Friday, Sept. 13 around 4:46 p.m., according to reports, for a two-vehicle crash in the area. A caller said that the striking vehicle had fled the scene on Virginia Drive, headed towards Susquehanna Road, police said. A witness said that the vehicle was a black Porsche with heavy front-end damage.
According to reports, police began an immediate search for the striking vehicle in the area, with one officer tracking a “fluid trail” from the crash scene, left behind from the fleeing car. Police came upon the car a few minutes later, locating a black Porsche Boxster convertible, disabled, at the intersection of Susquehanna Road and Virginia Drive, said police. Upon approach, police said that they witnessed the sole occupant as the driver, seated in the driver’s seat, with the door open and his feet outside of the car.
Francis X. Semencar, 66, of the 400 block of Rockledge Avenue in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., was identified by police as the driver of the Porsche. His car had heavy front-end damage, mainly to the driver’s side, with the driver’s side wheel completely detached from the steering assembly, police said.
Police said that Semencar was on the telephone as they approached him, uttering that he could not “get his partner.” Police also said he was slurring his words. According to reports, police asked for his identification, which he retrieved while stating “All I heard was bang.”
Responding officers said they asked Semencar where he was coming from, and he stated that he could not remember, but that he was trying to get home. According to reports, Semencar said he was coming from Blue Bell where he had attended the funeral of a friend but said he could not remember exactly where he had been.
Reports stated that Semencar did not seem to recall that there was any traffic accident, reiterating that he’d just “heard a bang” but did not know his car was damaged. Police said they continued to ask the man about the funeral he attended, and Semen car could only tell them that the funeral was “before 12 o’clock and then we went to the reception.” When asked where the funeral was, police said Semencar told them Ambler. When asked what time it was now, police said Semencar guessed it was “about 1:30 or 2” p.m., when it was nearly 5 p.m. Police also noted that Semencar said he was not injured and did not need an ambulance. Based on his behavior, police decided to conduct field sobriety testing at the scene, reports said.
As Semencar walked to the safer space to conduct the testing, police said he was unsteady on his feet and unprovoked said “I drank like three or four beer, I’m probably intoxicated, alright.” He agreed to the tests, and police said they observed “several indicators” that he was under the influence. Upon attempting a third test, Semencar lost his balance and fell to the ground, striking his head, reports said.
Given the injury while falling, police said they called in an ambulance to be dispatched to check on Semencar. While waiting for EMS to arrive, police said Semencar agreed to a breath test, which showed, at 5:10 p.m., his blood alcohol level to be .240.
At 5:20 p.m., Ambler Ambulance arrived on the scene and tended to Semencar’s laceration and “small bump,” but Semencar then refused treatment from medics, said reports. Semencar was then placed under arrest, after cleared by medics, and placed under arrest for the suspicion of DUI, police said. Once at the station, he agreed to chemical testing of his blood, while stating that he “[expletive deleted] up” and “drank too much.”
Blood testing was received by police on Monday, Sept. 23 and noted that Semencar had a blood alcohol concentration of .262 percent, police said. Semencar was charged with driving under the influence (DUI), impairing driving safety, an accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, DUI of the highest rate of alcohol (a BAC of .16+), failing to stop and give information or render aid, careless driving, reckless driving, and failing to keep right.
Semencar had a preliminary arraignment on Sept. 24 and is awaiting a preliminary hearing on Oct. 25 at 11:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Douglas H. Lavenberg.
