A New Ringgold man was allegedly drunk and drugged when he crashed a half-loaded, 26-foot U-Haul truck into two utility poles and a flatbed trailer at a Coaldale gas station and convenience store along Route 209 on May 19.

Michael Charles Hill Jr., 21, of 47 Mush Dahl Road, had been drinking and smoking marijuana before losing control of the truck and smashing into utility poles and a flatbed trailer, according to police reports.He is in Schuylkill County Jail, charged with possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia; two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance; driving under the influence of a controlled substance; driving under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance; a minor driving under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance (Hill turned 21 on June 22); accidents involving death or personal injury; recklessly endangering another person; driving on the right side of the roadway; driving on roadways laned for traffic; failing to drive at a safe speed; driving upon a sidewalk; abandonment of vehicles on a public or private property; careless driving; reckless driving; duty to give information and render aid; accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles or property; immediate notice of accident to police; and the purchase, consumption, transportation or possession of liquor, malt or brewed beverages.Hill's blood alcohol content was 0.095 percent at 6:13 a.m., about 1.5 hours after the crash. The legal threshold for impaired driving is 0.08 percent. His blood also tested positive for the presence of marijuana, according to the police report.Hill's passenger, Kasara Brandy Shields, 20, of 104 Springgarden St., Lansford, is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Coaldale Officer Scott D. Cramer, the drug paraphernalia included a pipe with burned residue, confirmed to be from marijuana; multiple small plastic bags commonly used to transport drugs and containing small amounts of green leafy substance which was found to be marijuana; a scale commonly used to weigh drugs that had marijuana residue on it. the items were found in a bag in the cab of the U-Haul.Also in the bag was a woman's white beaded necklace and cross, and receipts with Hill's name on them, and two lighters. Both Hill and Shields claimed the bag and items it contained were not theirs and must have been left in the cab of the truck by someone else.According to police, the crash happened at 4:48 a.m. May 19. The truck was half-filled with household items and being driven from Tamaqua to Lansford when Hill lost control and crashed into the first pole, in front of Pappy's Mini Mart.Cramer reported that there were no skid marks before striking the first pole, which was in front of gasoline pumps at the convenience store. The truck struck the pole with the front driver's side, ripping off the tire. It then continued on, hitting a second utility pole with the front passenger side, ripping off that tire. A transformer exploded, and wires fell and were burning.The truck then careened 168 feet into the parking lot, striking a flatbed trailer and pushing it 12 feet. The front end of the U-Haul was embedded under the flatbed, Cramer said.According to police, Hill had apparently been thrown to the passenger side of the truck before hitting the flatbed. He and Shields crawled out through the passenger side window and fled into woods on BET mine property, heading toward Lansford.They were caught by BET security and Lansford Det./Sgt. Jack Soberick, who brought them back to the scene. Shields, who complained of pain, was examined by emergency medical services and flown to St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem, where she was treated and released.Hill, who complained of leg pain, was taken to nearby St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale. He, too, was treated and released.The crash closed Route 209 for 9.5 hours. The store was forced to closed for that day, and had to discard refrigerated and frozen food because of lack of power, Cramer said.