A 23-year-old State College woman was arrested yesterday on charges of aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, in connection with a Feb. 9 one-vehicle crash that seriously injured a Centre Hall man.

Renee Patterson's blood alcohol content was .15 percent.

The legal BAC for persons over 21 years of age in Pennsylvania is .10 percent.

Patterson and her passenger, Ronald Heichel, were borough employees at the time of the crash.

Police said they both worked for the borough's parking authority.

Yesterday, no one in the borough office could verify whether Patterson is still a borough employee.

According to police documents, several witnesses said that prior to rescue personnel's arrival, they heard Patterson refer to consuming alcoholic beverages before the crash.

One witness told police Patterson said, "they had been drinking" and were "almost home."

The witness also said he overheard Patterson say she "didn't know she was driving."

Another witness told police Patterson said, "I didn't know I drank that much."

Police said Patterson also told a rescuer she had been drinking.

Patterson allegedly said she drank one Long Island iced tea and three shots of whiskey.

She allegedly later said she drank four Long Island iced teas.

When police arrived, Patterson acknowledged she had consumed two or three shots of rum at home and three Long Island ice teas at a bar.

She said she did not remember the trip or the accident, police said.

Patterson was also charged with DUI, reckless driving and driving on the right side of the road.

According to police documents, Patterson's northbound vehicle crossed the center of North Atherton Street into the southbound lane.

The vehicle struck several trees on the west side of the roadway,

It came to a rest in the front yard of a residence at 730 N. Atherton St.

Emergency personnel extracted Patterson and Heichel.

They were both trapped inside the vehicle.

A Life Lion helicopter transported Heichel, who police said suffered a brain injury, to Hershey Medical Center, where he is still hospitalized.

Yesterday, a center spokeswoman said Heichel is listed in good condition in the center's rehabilitation unit.

Patterson was taken to Centre Community Hospital for treatment and later transferred to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

Patterson was arraigned before District Justice Carmine Prestia and released on her own recognizance.

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 21.