Man Charged With 7th DUI After Striking Motorcyclist: Police

An Upper Darby man was arrested for his seventh DUI, according to police.

Police say 54-year-old James John Duggan was driving a Nissan out of the parking lot of R.P. McMurphy’s, a bar on the 2600 block of East MacDade Boulevard in Ridley Township, Thursday night shortly after 9 p.m. Witnesses say a woman riding on a motorcycle was traveling on MacDade as Duggan was backing out. MacDade allegedly failed to yield to the motorcycle and collided with it, sending the rider, an unidentified woman, flying into the air and crashing onto the roadway.

After the accident, witnesses say Duggan got out of his car and ran inside the bar. The woman suffered serious injuries, according to police.

Investigators say responding officers went inside the bar searching for Duggan. Police say they found him inside the bathroom cleaning himself up. Duggan told the officer he had “messed himself” and apologized, claiming he didn’t mean to hurt anyone, according to a police affidavit.

Police say Duggan’s eyes were bloodshot and that he smelled of alcohol. He was taken to police headquarters where he underwent sobriety tests and failed them all, according to investigators. He was arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving and other related offenses.

Police say Duggan had six previous convictions for DUI prior to Thursday’s arrest. Investigators also say his driver’s license expired back in April of 1994 and that his driving privileges were suspended due to his previous DUI arrests. The registration for his Nissan was also expired, according to investigators.

Duggan is currently being held in Delaware County prison on 10 percent of $75,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 22 at Ridley District Court.
 

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