HOLLIDAYSBURG — A local school administrator has been sentenced to three days to six months in the Blair County Prison, followed by four years’ probation, after pleading guilty Thursday to DUI and reckless endangerment charges linked to a vehicle crash that injured two people.

Matthew W. Hall, 41, Hollidaysburg, who was the Claysburg-Kimmel Elementary School principal at the time of a Feb. 8, 2022, crash and now handles curriculum and grant-writing responsibilities for the district, apologized in county court for his actions.

“I’m deeply sorry for the physical and emotional pain I caused the victims,” Hall said as he stood before President Judge Elizabeth A. Doyle, who accepted his pleas and imposed the negotiated sentence. “I will continue to address my addiction so I never cause this pain again.”

Hall was driving on West Loop Road outside Hollidaysburg, shortly before 9 a.m., when he struck another vehicle near Eastview Street. The responding state trooper described Hall as disoriented with bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol. Hall’s blood-alcohol content registered at 0.258 percent, more than three times the legal limit.

“It was a bad crash,” the woman, now 79, said as she left the courtroom where Hall entered guilty pleas to the misdemeanor offenses. “We couldn’t get out of the car.”

She and her husband, now 82, were reported to have suffered concussions, lacerations and broken ribs. While the woman said she continues to deal with pain, both she and her husband indicated to Doyle that they were in favor of the negotiated plea.

“I was thinking: ‘What if that was one of my children?’ the woman said. “But that’s why I don’t like drinking.”

District Attorney Pete Weeks said Hall’s case is a good example of why someone should not mix drinking and driving and the potential consequences.

State police at Hollidaysburg charged Hall with felony counts of aggravated assault by vehicle and aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI resulting in serious bodily injuries. They also charged him with DUI-highest rate of alcohol/first offense, reckless driving and related offenses.

Defense attorney Thomas M. Hooper filed a petition with the court to challenge the felony aggravated assault offenses based on the medical reports detailing the victim’s injuries.

Weeks said he was prepared to argue in support of those offenses for one of the two victims. But Hooper withdrew the petition Thursday as part of the plea agreement.

Also as part of the plea, Weeks asked Doyle to impose a no alcohol consumption restriction and she did, reminding Hall that the condition will extend for about 4.5 years while he is under supervision of the county’s parole and probation office.

Outside court, Hooper said Hall’s ongoing efforts have resulted in nearly a year of sobriety.

“He has worked hard to maintain his sobriety,” Hooper said. “That and the facts of this case made this plea agreement an appropriate resolution.”

Weeks also told the judge that one of the reasons he agreed to the plea was that Hall, on his own initiative, completed a 30-day inpatient treatment program.

Doyle, who instructed Hall to submit to a drug and alcohol evaluation, told him that efforts made to date can count toward the evaluation and recommended treatment.

Hooper also asked, with no objection from Weeks, to schedule his client to serve his three days in prison from Feb. 17 to 20. Doyle approved the request but advised Hall that supervision by the county’s probation office starts immediately.

Doyle also imposed a $1,000 fine associated with DUI offense.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.