Nov 13, 2009 By Jennifer Harr 2 min read

A Carmichaels man who hit three teenagers with his sport utility vehicle and then fled the scene entered a general plea to drunken driving and related charges in Greene County Court. The sentence for Stephen Dodson, 43, will be at the discretion of Judge Farley Toothman, who accepted the plea on Monday.

Dodson hit the children on a Browns Ferry Road in Cumberland Township on June 27, according to state police in Waynesburg.

Police said he drifted off the road and hit two teenagers on bicycles, and a third who was standing nearby. All three were injured.

After he hit the children, police said that Dodson kept driving. Police were able to saturate the area with patrol cars, and quickly picked him up.

When they found him four miles from the scene, Dodson’s truck had damage. He reportedly told police, “I think I hit someone.”

At the time, police took him for a blood-alcohol test because he smelled of alcohol. Authorities indicated his alcohol level was .175 percent, which is over the legal limit of .08 for drivers in Pennsylvania.

Dodson pleaded to three counts of accidents involving damage or personal injury, driving under the influence of alcohol and accidents involving damage to attended vehicles or property.

A sentencing date has yet to be set, but will be scheduled after the preparation of a pre-sentence report.