A Tyrone Police Officer is on paid administrative leave after crashing his truck into a ditch and allegedly having a blood alcohol content of three times the legal limit. State Police report that last month, 42 year old Otto “Gil” Barton the third was found standing outside his truck which had gone into a ditch on Old 6th Avenue near Bickel’s Surplus in Altoona. Authorities say Barton said he swerved to miss a deer and ended up in a ditch, however police noted they could smell alcohol on his breath. Troopers also noted his eyes were glassy, his speech was slurred and he failed a sobriety test. Barton reportedly agreed to a blood test which showed he had three times the legal limit. He was charged with DUI. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan 30th.
