PERRY COUNTY, Pa. — Camp Hill Police Chief Douglas Hockenberry was charged Monday following an investigation into an alcohol-related crash in early November.
The charges against 46-year-old Hockenberry include driving under the influence, disregarding a traffic lane, careless driving and failure to notify police of a crash, court documents show.
The incident occurred on November 5 around 10 p.m. in Rye Township.
According to the criminal complaint, two Pennsylvania State Police troopers were dispatched to the 100 block of Lambs Gap Road for a report of a single-vehicle crash. Upon arrival, they saw Hockenberry standing next to a pickup truck which had front-end damage to it. A tree was also laying in the roadway.
Hockenberry then staggered toward a trooper before telling him that he was drinking alcohol before driving, the criminal complaint says. Hockenberry told the trooper that he was traveling north on Lambs Gap Road when he left the roadway on the southbound side and struck the tree and two mailboxes.
The trooper noted that Hockenberry had glassy, bloodshot eyes and swayed back and forth during the conversation.
Hockenberry told the second trooper at the scene that he did not know how they were notified of the crash as he did not contact police, the criminal complaint adds. Hockenberry then said that he contacted a towing company to have his vehicle towed.
The Camp Hill police chief was arrested and transported to Pennsylvania State Police – Newport.
The Camp Hill Borough issued the following statement:
The Borough has just become aware of the charges against Chief Doug Hockenberry but has not had the opportunity to review them in detail. Borough Council will promptly review the charges and address them comprehensively. Because this is a personal matter, the Borough cannot comment further.
