EXETER — Two Wright Twp. parents who were so drunk they could barely stand are facing child endangerment charges after allegedly taking their two children in a ride in a tractor trailer that was reported to be “hitting a bunch of stuff,” according to police.
Police say they first contacted Franklin Pitts, 55, and Ariel Dorris, 27, both of 307 Mary St., around 4:20 p.m. Monday, when they were observed to be so drunk they could not stand up straight.
Officers were then dispatched to a report that a tractor-trailer was heading down Penn Avenue, a narrow side street, and nearly hitting parked vehicles around 5:30 p.m., the complaint says.
Police saw the truck attempting to turn onto Mundy Court, hitting a parked car and a utility police, according to the complaint.
Officers briefly followed the truck until Dorris got out carrying two young children, ages 1 and 2, police said.
Pitts refused orders to get out of the truck and had to be pulled out and handcuffed, according to the complaint. Pitts struggled with officers as they tried to place him into custody, at which point Dorris — who was carrying two bags containing open alcohol containers in addition to her children — approached and began screaming for them to let Pitts go, police said.
Dorris later fell off a porch while holding her son, causing the boy to hit the ground, the complaint says.
While police were taking Pitts for a blood-alcohol test, Pitts began saying, “I’m fitting have you dead, all you (expletives),” according to the complaint. Pitts then began spitting on the driver, police said.
Pitts refused to submit to blood-alcohol testing at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, police said.
Police charged Pitts with making terroristic threats, driving under the influence, child endangerment, resisting arrest, institutional vandalism, reckless endangerment, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and possessing an open alcohol container in a vehicle.
Dorris was charged with child endangerment, disorderly conduct and obstructing justice.
Magisterial District Judge Donald L. Whittaker arraigned the pair Monday night and set bail at $100,000 for Pitts and $75,000 for Dorris. They were being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with a preliminary hearing set for Dec. 19.