HONESDALE, PA — A Wayne County man is facing charges after state police say he drove a beer-filled pickup truck into the Pennsylvania State Police Honesdale Station, injuring a communications officer and causing major damage to the building. Troopers say the driver, Wade Louis Rickard, 36, of Honesdale, fled on foot after the crash Thursday evening.
Court records show Rickard is being held in the Wayne County Prison in lieu of $6 million bail. Police say the crash happened at the station on Collan Park in Cherry Ridge Township and left the communications area and entrance badly damaged. The station’s phone service was disrupted after the impact, according to investigators.
Troopers say the truck struck the station and then sped off on foot
State police say the crash happened at 6:53 p.m. when a 2012 Nissan Frontier hit the front of the station at 14 Collan Park. Investigators say Rickard then ran across state Route 191, also known as Lake Ariel Highway.
When troopers got to the scene, they found the pickup still running but no one nearby. A records check showed Rickard was the registered owner of the truck, according to the affidavit. Troopers later said three other people were close to the crash site when it happened, though none were reported injured in the same way as the communications officer.
Beer cans, alcohol odor and damage inside the cab are cited in the affidavit
In a police affidavit, troopers said they found “numerous amounts of both empty and full Busch Light beer cans” in the cab of the pickup. They also said the vehicle smelled of alcohol.
The affidavit says the airbags were deployed and the windshield was damaged from the inside. Investigators wrote that it appeared the operator had struck the windshield. Those observations, along with the condition of the truck, were part of the evidence cited in the case.
Communications officer suffered minor injuries as the station’s phone service was disrupted
State Police Cpl. Jason Traino said in the affidavit that the station’s communications room and entrance suffered extensive exterior and interior damage. The impact also disrupted telephone service at the station, affecting operations inside the building.
A communications officer stationed at the desk was struck by communications equipment and suffered minor injuries, investigators said. The affidavit says a trooper entered the building using a ballistic shield and an AR-15 rifle to clear the entrance before discovering the pickup truck still running outside.
911 call led troopers to nearby Ski Run Road where Rickard was found shirtless and shoeless
Wayne County 911 later told state police that Rickard had been seen on nearby Ski Run Road. Troopers said he was shirtless, shoeless and had blood on his hand when he was located.
A responding trooper stopped his vehicle, got out and ordered Rickard to comply with commands. After Rickard was taken into custody, the trooper asked what he was doing, and he replied, “I’m drunk,” according to the affidavit. Police then took him to Wayne Memorial Hospital.
Blood draw was done under warrant as Rickard's parents raised questions about the crash
Troopers say Rickard refused to consent to a blood draw at the hospital. Police later obtained a search warrant and legally had blood taken that same Thursday night.
State police also interviewed Rickard’s parents at the Honesdale station. According to the affidavit, they said there was no reason for their son to be driving on state Route 191. Traino wrote that Rickard’s father believed the crash was intentional, adding another layer to the investigation as charges moved forward.
Aggravated assault and DUI related charges follow the station crash
Rickard is charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault. The charges reflect both the injuries reported at the scene and the alleged intoxication described by police.
With bail set at $6 million and Rickard in county prison, the case now turns to the court process. The affidavit lays out a sequence that began with the pickup’s impact on the station and ended with police saying the driver admitted he was drunk after being found nearby.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
