A hit and run crash ended with the intoxicated striking driver pulling a knife on one of his victims, according to state police.
David Shellenberger, 31, of Middletown, is accused of striking two stopped cars at the intersection of the I-95 exit ramp and Veterans Highway (Route 413) in Bristol Township on September 23 at around 8 p.m., police said.
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The driver of BMW that was struck said he was stopped at the light when Shellenberger’s green 1997 Chevrolet Blazer struck him from behind, reversed, hit another vehicle and then sped off, according to court documents. The two struck drivers followed Shellenberger to the 200 block of Blue Ridge Drive in Levittown, police said. State and Bristol Township police responded to that scene following phone calls.
The driver of the BMW and his passenger got out of the car on Blue Ridge Drive and claim Shellenberger tried to run them down, court papers say.
The other driver gave police the following statement about how he encountered Shellenberger on Blue Ridge Drive: “He had a knife in his hand and turned toward me. He was so messed up. He was stumbling around. I told him to put the knife down and he put it in his waistband.”
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The trooper handling the accident wrote in court papers that he made contact with Shellenberger and noticed his was swaying, stumbling and had glassy and bloodshot eyes. He also noted the 31-year-old had trouble keeping his eyes open.
When the trooper asked if Shellenberger was on any medication he stated: “I’m on a whole soup full of pills. I barely hit either of those cars. I don’t know why they are flipping out.”
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Police transported Shellenberger to St. Mary Medical Center where samples of his blood were taken for testing.
Shellenberger was charged via mail summons last week with three counts of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, DUI and other offenses in connection with the crash.
