Michigan man charged with attempted assault by vehicle while DUI in State College
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Aug. 19, 2024 update: Michael J. Cardinal was sentenced Aug. 13 to six to 23 1/2 months in the Centre County Correctional Facility, $1,500 in fines and restitution, and must complete anger management. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of criminal mischief and a misdemeanor count of DUI.
A Michigan man was charged with felony attempted aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence in State College.
Michael J. Cardinal, 28, was also charged with recklessly endangering another person, accident involving damage to an occupied vehicle, a first offense DUI, and citations for careless and reckless driving.
According to police, Cardinal attempted to pass, and then struck, the passenger side mirror of a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze on West College Avenue Saturday evening while turning right onto North Atherton Street. The driver of the Chevy then followed Cardinal in an attempt to exchange information with him, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
Both vehicles pulled into parking spots outside the Sleep Inn on Village Drive in Ferguson Township. According to police, the two drivers exchanged words, and the driver of the Cruze mentioned calling the police about the crash. Cardinal then “pulled from the parking spot and proceeded to speed around the parking lot before ramming his vehicle” into the driver’s side of the Cruze, police wrote.
The airbags of the Cruze deployed with the driver inside, and Cardinal fled from the scene. Ferguson Township and State College police found Cardinal in a nearby residential area. He told officers he was “a little buzzed,” according to police. He also admitted to “’ramming” the Cruze and told police that the other driver “was lucky that was all he did,” according to court documents.
A defense lawyer was not listed. Cardinal was unable to post bail and is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility.
This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
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