WEST CHESTER — A jury found Alexis Oquendo, 35, of Philadelphia, guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol/controlled substances and two counts of recklessly endangering another person. Oquendo drove approximately five miles the wrong way on Route 1 in southern Chester County, swerving back-and-forth across the road, in May 2021.
It is Oquendo’s second DUI conviction. He will be sentenced at a later date.
“Alexis Oquendo put every single person on Route 1 at risk of being seriously injured or killed,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan. “This was a Monday morning when people were heading to work and school, and he jeopardized the safety of them all with his reckless and dangerous conduct. We thank the jury for reaching this verdict and holding the defendant accountable for his actions.”
Shortly before 9 a.m. on May 3, 2021, Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to Route 1 near the Kennett-Oxford Bypass after a witness reported a driver in a white Subaru Forester going southbound in the northbound lanes at a high rate of speed. Two witnesses reported seeing the white Forester swerving from the center median, across the two lanes of northbound traffic, to the shoulder of the road and appeared to be traveling more than 50 miles per hour.
PSP located the white Forester a mile from the Route 472 exit facing south on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of traffic with its hazard lights flashing and the defendant sitting in the driver’s seat. After failing to follow commands, PSP and Oxford Borough Police removed him from the car and placed him under arrest. Law enforcement said the defendant appeared to be under the influence of drugs or a controlled substance. Oquendo refused to submit to a chemical test of his blood.
Pennsylvania State Police, Avondale barracks, and Oxford Borough Police investigated. Senior Deputy District Attorney Carlos Barraza was the assigned prosecutor.
