Drowning victim's blood alcohol level twice legal limit

Photos: Body pulled from pond

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Staff Report Updated 3:30 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

WEST CHESTER TWP. — The woman who drowned in a West Chester Twp. pond last week had twice the legal limit of alcohol in her blood stream at the time of her death, the Butler County coronor said.

Toxicology tests on Patrice Battle, who was found in a pond on Plum Tree Drive, indicated her blood alcohol was .173, Dr. Richard Burkhardt said. He added the alcohol impairment is likely the reason her car went into the pond.

Battle, 33, was missing for four days before her body was located. Burkhardt ruled Battle accidentally drowned. There were no other injuries on her body, which was found outside of her silver 1998 Saab in the water.

West Chester Twp. police said a car door was open when the vehicle was found.

A preliminary police investigation indicates Battle’s car went off the right side of Plum Tree Drive, came back onto the road, then went off the left side of the road and into the pond.

Police received a call at 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, about tire tracks leading into the Plum Tree Drive pond. Detectives and a dive team located Battle's body just before 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26. Her silver car was found submerged in the pond a short time later.

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