Man steals car, crashes into stop sign

A State College resident was charged yesterday with auto theft and DUI after he stole his mother's car and crashed it into a stop sign, according to the State College Police Department.

According to the accident report, Justin Derber, 23, drove straight at a Y-intersection on Hospital Drive and ran over a stop sign and up onto the median at about 1:15 a.m. He then backed the car up, causing the stop sign to go up through the trunk and back window and strike the inside roof, according to the report.

Derber's mother told police Derber did not have permission to drive the car and must have stolen it when she was asleep, according to the report. Derber told police he took the car because of a medical emergency, according to the report. Police said Derber appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and consented to chemical testing. Derber was injured Jan. 9 after walking into traffic on University Drive, Sgt. Chris Fishel said; Police cited Derber for failing to use a crosswalk.