CENTER TWP — A man suspected of shoplifting two cases of beer was later arrested for drunken driving, according to state police.

Troopers said Patrick W. Bransfield Jr., 40, was two-and-a-half times the state's legal limit for alcohol when they caught him last week at his home in Center Township.

Bransfield, who remains in the Butler County Prison on a probation violation, is charged with driving under the influence, retail theft and careless driving. He is to be arraigned on those charges Monday.

Police were initially called about 10:40 a.m. Oct. 28 to the Sheetz store on Route 8 in Center Township for a reported theft of two 12-packs of Busch beer, valued at $17.98.

The suspected shoplifter was described as having facial tattoos and wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jersey, police said. He drove away in a car but not before the store manager got the license plate number, according to police.

A short time later, according to charging documents, police went to Bransfield home after checking the car's ownership. They suspected he was intoxicated when they found him there.

He denied having had any alcohol to drink since returning home from the store, police said. He also allegedly told a trooper, “I (expletive) up. I shouldn't have stolen beer.”

A subsequent breath test at the police barracks in Butler Township showed his blood-alcohol was 0.20 percent. In Pennsylvania, a level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated.