by Alex Lloyd Gross
Colin John Wahlers, of Perkasie was allegedly intoxicated on June 2, 2024 Hilltown Police said. He was driving a Polaris Ranger, which is a multipurpose off-highway utility vehicle, at the intersection of Route 152 and Hilltown Pike.
When police tried to stop the vehicle, Wahlers did not stop, instead, police allege, he sped up to speeds of about 65 MPH in a 40 MPH zone. When he got to the intersection of Green Street and Rickert Road, he lost control of the vehicle and it flipped. Police said that Joseph Kay, a passenger from Hilltown was killed in the crash.
Police tried to save Kay, but he was unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at the scene. He was a former volunteer firefighter, Wahlers complained of injuries but refused medical treatment. Police gave him some field sobriety tests to do which officers said he did poorly on. His blood alcohol level was 0.195 percent, more than twice the legal limit to operate a vehicle.
The investigation included an inspection of the vehicle, which found no mechanical defects that would have been a factor in the crash. A warning label on the vehicle’s sun visor was found that contained instructions for operating the vehicle, including to operate with the seat belts fastened, to not operate the vehicle on paved surfaces, to slow down before entering a turn, and to not operate after consuming alcohol or drugs. A crash reconstruction determined that Wahlers was driving 67.47 miles per hour in the 900 block of Green Street, which has a speed limit of 40 mph.
He was charged with Homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude police, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence-general impairment, driving under the influence-highest rate, and recklessly endangering another person. He was also charged with five summary traffic offenses: reckless driving, driving at unsafe speeds, disregarding traffic lanes, driving an unregistered vehicle, and duties at stop sign.
Bail was set at $75,000 -10 percent, which was posted.