Commissioner George Hartwick is under investigation after arriving late to a meeting and exhibiting slurred speech.
The Attorney General’s Office launched an investigation into Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartick after he allegedly crashed his county-owned vehicle in the parking garage of a meeting where he arrived late.
On Wednesday, Hartwick allegedly crashed the vehicle and attended the meeting late, while appearing to be experiencing medical issues or being intoxicated.
The County Risk Manager called the Attorney General’s Office at 12:50pm on Wednesday with the report.
Hartwick allegedly told the County Risk Manager that his slurred speech was the result of medication he was taking. He claimed to be at an event in Harrisburg prior to the meeting he arrived late to, but officials hosting the event said he was not in attendance.
County policy requires that employees suspected of intoxication be taken to Concentra Urgent Care for further evaluation.
After Hartwick was dropped off at the urgent care, he did not check in and was unable to be located.
The Attorney General’s Office said that Hartwick disclosed a bottle of vodka would be found in his vehicle while on a phone call with the assistant chief clerk of the Dauphin County Solicitors.
Detectives located Hartwick after tracking his location. He was reported to have had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech when he was found.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, he agreed to a blood test for drug and alcohol use. He changed his mind upon arriving at UPMC Harrisburg Hospital for the blood withdrawal.
While Hartwick was in the vehicle with detectives, he admitted to drinking half of a bottle of vodka before driving to the meeting. He also claimed it was the first alcoholic drink he had consumed in four years.
According to a search warrant, a prescription pill bottle with Hartwick’s name on it, his county ID, and over-the-counter medicine were seized. The pill bottle contained multiple color and sized pills.
Hartwick previously served as Chair before being ousted earlier this year. He has been stripped of his oversight duties but remains a County Commissioner and is in his sixth term.
