A 21-year-old Sandy Lake man was hospitalized and charged with drunken driving after he smashed his pickup truck into a new garage on Mercer Street in Sandy Lake on Sept. 29.

Sandy Lake Police Chief Donald C. Oakes reported the wreck Thursday.

According to Oakes, Bryan Joseph Saeler, of 48 Patton Road, Sandy Lake, was traveling east on Mercer Street about 1 a.m. when his vehicle went off the road, traveled several hundred feet across a yard and struck a newly-built two-car garage.

Saeler was injured in the wreck and admitted to UPMC Horizon, Greenville. He was released Thursday.

Oakes said that charges of drunk driving, careless driving and driving under suspension have been filed with District Justice Larry Silvis, Worth Township, and a summons was sent to Saeler. Saeler's preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 25, a clerk said.

Oakes said that the Saeler vehicle went through the wall at the front of the garage owned by Paul and Sarah Baxter and struck the Baxter's 1989 Lincoln Town Car that was in the garage.

Oakes said that the impact pushed the Baxter's car to the back of the garage. He said Saeler's car struck two garage doors which were down and the center beam "and knocked them out."

Oakes said the insurance company has not yet notified him of the total damage to the garage and the car.

Mrs. Baxter said damage to the garage was about $10,000 but she was more concerned about the way Oakes handled the accident.

Mrs. Baxter said that it was 15 hours after the accident before she heard from Oakes, and that was only after she called state police.

According to Mrs. Baxter, Oakes told her that he had tried to knock on their door and to call them on the phone, but no one answered. Mrs. Baxter said that her caller ID should have recorded any calls, and that there were no calls record between the hours of 9:35 p.m. and 7:14 when her tenant reported the wreck.

The Baxters complained in writing to borough officials about Oakes. "We feel Chief Oakes did not follow procedures as a policeman and was negligent in his responsibilities," they wrote.

Oakes could not be reached for comment this morning.