Alleged repeat drunk driver behind bars

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on October 23, 2014

A Chester County magisterial district judge apparently decided that society needed protection from a 42-year-old Downingtown man, setting his bail at $750,000 cash.

Dharmesh P. Vaswani came before Magisterial District Judge John R. Bailey because he was involved in a one-vehicle crash the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 21, in West Vincent Township that constituted a bail violation, police said. Alcohol impairment was suspected in the crash, and toxicology tests are pending, police said.

Vaswani already has three pending drunk-driving cases within three months in West Whiteland Township. Police said he was arrested on May 31 after officers made contact with him at a DUI checkpoint in the 300 block of North Pottstown Pike.

On July 29, police said officers found Vaswani asleep behind the wheel of a vehicle that spanned three parking spaces in the lot of the Wawa in the unit block of West Boot Road.

On Aug. 8, officers responded to an erratic driver complaint at the intersection of Route 100 and the Route 30 Bypass. While checking the area, officers observed a three-vehicle crash and determined that Vaswani, allegedly under the influence, had been operating a vehicle that struck a traffic signal control box and then two other vehicles, police said.

Court records showed that Vaswani had been out on bail when Tuesday’s crash occurred. West Vincent Police Chief Michael Swininger said a witness reported that Vaswani blew a red light at the intersection of Routes 100 and 401 before crashing into the curb.

“That’s a very busy intersection; thousands of cars go through there every day,” Swininger said, adding that it was very fortunate that no one else was hurt.

Swininger said that an officer detected an odor of alcohol at the crash scene and that Vaswani was taken to Paoli Hospital for minor injuries. The chief said he could not comment further because the case remains under investigation.

Vaswani has since been moved to Chester County Prison after failing to post bail, West Whiteland Township Police said. Vaswani’s attorney, Ryan L. Hyde, was not available for comment.