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The highest-ranking attorney in the Pennsylvania prison system was recently charged with crashing his car into the back of a van while drunk, then fleeing the scene of the accident.

Michael A. Farnan, head attorney for the Pennsylvania Corrections Department, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.149 percent after the auto accident which is nearly twice the legal limit.

Witnesses provided police with the license plate of Farnan's car and saw him pulling broken parts and branches off the car in the parking lot of the Corrections Department headquarters at Camp Hill State Prison.

According to police two victims in the minivan were injured, a 12-year-old girl tore back ligaments and a 53-year-old woman reported neck pain.

Farnan was charged with an accident involving personal injury, drunk driving, failing to give information and render aid, and traffic offenses. He was suspended without pay Corrections Secretary Jeffrey Beard said in a statement.

Reference:

"Pa. prison lawyer charged in hit-and-run," AP, Mark Scolforo, November 2006.