A judge postponed a sentencing hearing for a Ligonier man who admitted to driving drunk and causing a head-on crash that killed a Westmoreland County police officer.

Clair Fink, 33, faces up to 40 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in September to third-degree murder and other charges for the May 2015 crash that killed Ligonier Township police Lt. Eric Eslary.

Fink admitted guilt to five charges, including vehicular homicide while driving drunk and three counts of DUI.

Judge Christopher Feliciani continued Thursday's sentencing hearing to a date to be determined because of a medical issue involving a defense attorney.

Fink is the first person charged with a murder count in connection with a drunken-driving death in Westmoreland County, prosecutors have said.

Fink drove the wrong way on Route 30 and crashed into a police cruiser carrying Eslary and his K-9 partner, Blek. Authorities said Fink's blood-alcohol level was 0.197 percent, nearly two-and-a-half times the amount a driver in Pennsylvania is considered intoxicated. Prosecutors said traces of marijuana also were found in Fink's system.

An investigation revealed that prior to the crash, Fink and a coworker at Westmoreland Pools and Spas drank beer for several hours before Fink drove them in a company truck to a strip club and a convenience store to pick up food.

The coworker, Derek Gifford of Unity, testified previously that Fink drove into construction barrels and stopped to survey damage to the truck before he continued driving, turning east into the westbound lanes of Route 30 about 2 a.m. That is when the truck collided with Eslary's police cruiser, Gifford testified.

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