BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Tyrone man is behind bars after he reportedly drove himself to his arraignment on DUI charges while drunk.

Lawrence E. Williams, 58, showed up to his arraignment with Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller Thursday at 11 a.m. while he was visibly drunk, according to charges filed by the Tyrone Police Department. As soon as he entered the courtroom, officers said they could smell alcohol. They also noted he had “extremely red, bloodshot eyes.”

58-year-old Lawrence E. Williams

This arraignment was for a previous DUI case from April 22 when he crashed his car into a fence on SR 865 at the intersection of East 5th Street in Bellwood. At this time, Williams was already on probation for two other DUI cases from 2021.

In August 2021, Williams crashed into a mailbox in Antis Township while he was drunk and was arrested by state police in Hollidaysburg, according to court documents.

Then in November 2021, state police arrested Williams again when he allegedly showed up drunk at Sheetz. Witnesses told troopers he was stumbling around the store getting more alcohol. By the time police came, Williams was reportedly sitting in the driver’s seat of his car.

During his arraignment Thursday, police said Williams told them he drove himself to court with a rental vehicle. He was taken to Penn Highlands Tyrone Hospital where lab results showed he had a BAC of 0.176 percent.

Williams was brought back to court to face charges for his April 22 DUI case as well as for showing up to court drunk. A combined bail of $40,000 was set, and he was sent to Blair County Prison.

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In the event Williams posts his bail, he will be placed on supervised release with the Blair County Adult Probation Department. Per his release conditions, he will need to:

  • Be randomly be drug/alcohol tested at least once every two weeks
  • Refrain from possessing alcohol/non-prescription drugs
  • Be placed on house arrest
  • Be electrically monitored for alcohol use
  • Be mentally treated

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 10.