Former state trooper Austin Burney is facing numerous summary charges in Elk County for a crash earlier this month, and alleged drunk driving charges in Jefferson County with a blood alcohol content more than three times the legal limit.
Burney, 30, of Cooksburg, who was arrested for DUI on the job in Mount Jewett in November 2022 in a state police vehicle, was first suspended and then no longer employed by the state police. He was prosecuted by the state attorney general’s office, and accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program in McKean County Court. He did not lose his driver’s license.
While in the program, he was charged by Marienville-based state police with DUI for an incident in Barnett Township, Jefferson County, on July 22. The charges include DUI second offense, DUI highest rate of alcohol second offense, and accidents involving damage to an unattended vehicle or property.
At 1:48 p.m. July 22, Marienville-based state police received a call from a witness concerning a crash in the parking lot of MacBeth’s Cabins and Country Store in Barnett Township, Jefferson County. It’s a cabin rental business with a parking lot, gas pumps and a convenience store. The witness said a customer came in the store and said a person had struck another vehicle and was now passed out behind the wheel of a black Ram truck. Troopers began responding to the scene, and ran the license plate of the truck. It came back to Burney, who the troopers were familiar with because of his prior employment with the state police, the criminal complaint indicated.
Arriving on the scene about 2 p.m., troopers made contact with Burney, who was still inside his truck, in the driver’s seat, in a private driveway. His truck had visible damage to the front. A vehicle in the store parking lot had damage to the entire driver’s side area. During the investigation, police determined that Burney was highly intoxicated, admitting to drinking both the night before and the day of the crash, the complaint stated.
He admitted to driving on Route 36, entering the parking lot and striking the vehicle. Video surveillance at the business showed Burney’s truck pull in, strike the vehicle, back up, drive forward and strike the vehicle again. Then the video showed Burney’s truck travel about 75 feet into a private driveway, according to the complaint.
Burney failed field sobriety tests and was taken to the hospital for a blood test, which showed his blood alcohol content was .266%; the legal limit is .08%. Burney made no attempt to notify police of the accident or remain at the scene of the crash, the complaint stated.
He is still undergoing prosecution for the alleged DUI in Jefferson County. His ARD status in McKean County was extended because of the subsequent charges, but not revoked.
On Dec. 3, according to Ridgway-based state police, at 8:01 a.m., a full-size pickup truck driven by Burney was traveling north on Montmorenci Road when it failed to negotiate a straight stretch, and struck a guiderail head-on, causing disabling damage. Burney fled the scene before state police arrived, the report stated.
The truck was towed from the scene. Ridgway Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Police said Burney was not injured. He was charged with the following summary offenses for the Ridgway crash: Registration card to be signed and exhibited on demand, carrying and exhibiting driver’s license on demand, required financial responsibility, driving on right side of road, driving on roadways laned for traffic, driving vehicle at safe speed, abandonment of vehicle, careless driving, reckless driving, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicle or property, immediate notice of accident to police, and vehicular hazard signal lamps.
