Upper Moreland Township Police Department Photo by James Short.
An October vehicle accident has resulted in DUI charges for a Willow Grove man, police say.
On Oct. 18, 2024, around 10 p.m., the Upper Moreland Township Police were called to the area of Terwood Road and Edge Hill Road in the Huntingdon Valley section of the township for a hit-and-run in progress. Callers told dispatch that the striking vehicle was last seen traveling southbound on Edge Hill Road and were able to provide the Pennsylvania license plate, as well as the make of the car.
According to a police criminal complaint, police arrived at the scene and found a black Mazda sedan facing northbound in the middle of the intersection with hazard lights flashing. The car had damages to the left, rear passenger’s side door. Its drive was standing outside of the vehicle, police said.
Police said that the driver of the Mazda told them he was stopped at the sign on Edge Hill traveling northbound, when a dark SUV turned southbound onto Edge Hill from Terwood (eastbound) when the SUV crossed over the center, double solid yellow lines, striking the Mazda before continuing on Edge Hill Road.
Additional police units tracked the darkly colored KIA SUV on Carlson Drive off of Welsh Road and began driving under the influence (DUI) investigations with the driver of the KIA, police said.
Dean Barrett, 58, of the 3600 block of Welsh Road in Willow Grove, was found to be the KIA’s driver, according to the complaint. Police said that Barrett’s eyes were “glassy and bloodshot” and that he had slurred speech.
“His eyelids were droopy, he was swaying, and there was a heavy odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person,” wrote police in the affidavit of probable cause.
Police said that Barrett told them he’d had “a few” drinks. When asked if he thought he had too much to drive, he said “yes, yes, I’m not going to lie to you,” police reported. Barrett was unsuccessful in standardized field sobriety testing and was taken into custody around 10:18 p.m., police said.
Barrett consented to a chemical blood test at Holy Redeemer Hospital, police said. The testing returned to police showed that Barrett had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.182, said the complaint. Also present in Barrett’s blood was “Delta-9” THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Barrett is charged with DUI, accident involving damage of an attended vehicle, DUI with a controlled substance, DUI at the highest rate of alcohol (BAC .16+), and DUI with a schedule one controlled substance.
Barrett was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 30. No further updates were provided at this time.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
