Penn Pike COO Hatalowich cops three drunk driving charges

George M Hatalowich, the Pennsylvania Turnpike's number two and chief operating officer (COO) is due in magistrate's court in Hummesltown PA May 26 on three drunk driving charges. A court officer there confirmed to us that a police complaint against him had been received, saying Hatalowich had been charged with two counts of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and one count of careless driving April 5.

The Turnpike deputy chief was pulled over by Derry Township police on Northeast Drive in Hersey PA at around 11pm April 5 driving erratically. He had at one point gone off the road and crashed his car into the fence of Herseypark.

That fence incident may well have generated a call to the police.

Northeast Drive, where Hatalowich's car was stopped by police, leads away to the east from Herseypark's eastern boundary. The park is understood to have surveillance around its fence.

Hersheypark, initially written Hersey Park, is a large entertainment complex going back over a century, established and named after the Hershey chocolate people. Covering 120 acres (0.5 km2) it has nine 'themes' including scores of rides and exhibits. The park's slogan is "The sweetest place on earth."

We haven't been able to find out how Hatalowich got two separate charges of driving under the influence, but the careless driving charge is based on his hitting the park fence. Hershey, Hummelstown and Highspire with the Turnpike's head office are all eastern suburbs of the Harrisburg metro area.

Hatalowich's arrest near Hersheypark occurred just 14km (8.5 miles) northeast of the Turnpike's Highspire office. (These parts love their H-names)

Tim Carson too

Former vice-chairman of the Turnpike Commission Timothy Carson resigned earlier this year after drink-drive convictions.

BIO: Hatalowich, 44 years old, is a longtime Turnpike employee. He became COO February 2007 succeeding to the position after then-COO Kevin Longenbach had a falling out with CEO Joe Brimmeier.

Hatalowich was chief contracts officer from 2003 to 2007. Prior to 2003 he was in the Turnpike's engineering division.

Hatalowich lives in Middletown PA about 10km (7 miles) south of Hershey, where the incident occurred.

Not in Turnpike vehicle, not on Turnpike time and a "personal matter" - Turnpike

A Turnpike spokesman Carl Defebo comments: "Mr. Hatalowich was in a privately owned vehicle and on personal time when the incident occurred. In that regard, this is more a personal matter for him."

On Hatalowich's elevation to COO on the departure of Kevin Longenbach early 2007:

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/28

report on vice-chairman Timothy Carson's DUI resignation:

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4590

ADDITION: Harrisburg's Patriot-News reports additional facts today:

- Hatalowich received a fourth charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage

- his blood alcohol level after being arrested was measured as 0.137, described as nearly twice the lawful level

TOLLROADSnews 2010-04-20 ADDITION 2010-04-21 22:00