March 2010 Archives

Information on recent convictions and sentences can be a good source of knowledge for PA DUI lawyers. By looking at a particular court's sentencing, a PA DUI attorney can get an idea of what to expect in his or her client's case.

Here are some recent sentences handed down in Bradford County, PA:

• 6 months probation and a $300 fine in an August 2009 DUI incident in Wyalusing Township. The probation here is essentially a police-department monitored supervision. 

• 48 hours to six months prison term and a $500 fine in a July 2008 offense in Smithfield Township. The driver will lose Pennsylvania driving privileges for 12 months and is also forced to make restitution to the victims. Restitution essentially means that the driver will have to "make the victims whole" or pay back the victims for their damages. 

We've looked at the issue of recidivist DUI offenders and the implication of recidivism for PA DUI attorneys.

But what about the impact of a civil suit on the occurrence of a DUI offense? Nearly a decade ago, Frederick Patrick Poust III  was driving while dialing on his cellular phone. As a result, he slammed into a car; killing 2 year old Morgan Lee Pena. 

At the time, the Pena family filed a civil lawsuit against Poust, settling in the fatal accident case. The lawsuit had a confidentiality agreement which prohibited the Penas from ever speaking publicly about the driver. 

After causing a car accident that injured six people, Daniel Joseph Kulynych, 20, of Bushkill is now facing over two years in state prison.

Kulynych was sentenced last week on charges of driving under the influence. He was allegedly responsible for a two-car crash that happened at 3:30 a.m. on Route 209 in Middle Smithfield Township.

Unfortunately, Kulynych's Pennsylvania DUI attorney essentially has an uphill battle since the recent accident came days after Kulynych had another DUI related incident. In the current incident, Kulynych's Chevrolet Tahoe collided with a Pocono Record delivery van; injuring the passengers in his Tahoe and two passengers in the Pocono Record van. The van driver, Michael Howey, 55, suffered serious injuries and medical authorities had to induce a coma in order to aid in his recovery. 

ARD-- of the Alternative Rehabilitative Disposition-- is a PA DUI attorney's best friend.  Essentially, ARD is a great alternative for first time DUI offenders if you've been driving under the influence in Pennsylvania.  

Perhaps I was too fast in saying that the ARD program is good for PA DUI lawyers. The program could mean less work for many PA DUI attorneys, since it may help the offender avoid a long DUI trial.

The ARD program is a program under Pennsylvania DUI laws which is designed to facilitate the legal and rehabilitative process of Pennsylvania DUI offenders. Offenders will have to complete the ARD program successfully as an alternative to trial, conviction, and even a jail sentence. 

Update on the Senavitis case: Thomas Senavitis' PA DUI attorney argued to reinstate his bail. It is a case that PA DUI lawyers are following with bated breath. 

As we've been chronicling on this blog, Thomas Senavitis was recently acquitted on charges of vehicular homicide in a fatal crash that killed a beloved Pennsylvania state senator.  Senator James Rhoades was killed in 2008 when his Cadillac was hit by Senavitis' pickup truck in Gilbert, PA.  At the time, Sen. Rhoades was on his way to a campaign appearance at a local school where he was to be honored for his contributions to the school.

He was subsequently acquitted of vehicular homicide after Senavitis' Pennsylvania DUI attorney convinced the jury that the Senator may have been part to blame for the crash.  Despite the acquittal, Senavitis was still convicted of a lesser charge of being drunk behind the wheel. 

PA DUI lawyers need to understand the full scope of DUI in order to properly defend DUI suspects. One part of the DUI defense equation is understanding the impact that alcohol has on driving. Essentially, an understanding of the impact of alcohol on driving impairment could sometimes help PA DUI attorneys with their defense.

The Pennsylvania DUI Association published an interesting memorandum on the effects of alcohol and the human body. Here's a brief summary: 

There are several skills required for driving, including reaction time, judgment, hearing and multi-tasking. Different levels of alcohol could cause different levels of impairment to one's driving ability. Both cognitive skills, such as the ability to make decisions and think fast, as well as motor skills, such as the ability to move, could be affected by alcohol consumption.

An Amish man was arrested on DUI charges in Paradise, PA, last December.

Pennsylvania DUI attorneys might be familiar with drunk driving as it relates to cars, trucks and even tractors.

But drunk driving behind the wheel of an Amish buggy?

In December of last year, an Amish man in Lancaster County was pulled over when his moving buggy was straddling the center line of the road. The buggy was moving at a walking pace, according to the Lancaster Police. At the reins was 22-year old Elmer Stolzfoos Fisher, of Paradise, PA.

Fisher was slumped over in the buggy, asleep at the reins, while his horse and cart were moving at an incremental pace. An odd sight indeed, as it caught the eye of an off-duty police officer.  

There just isn't enough money flowing into the DUI courts. And this only makes the jobs of PA DUI attorneys that much harder.

A recent request for a grant was rejected by the State of Pennsylvania. Blair County, located in central Pennsylvania, requested a grant for $250,000 to increase the number of probation officers in conjunction with its DUI rehabilitation programs. The county rehabilitation program assists DUI offenders and attempts to keep the county roads safe from impaired driving.   

The grant funding would have served the purpose of expanding the county's DUI efforts by hiring a probation officer and two additional administrative support staffers. According to Blair County Judge Jolene G. Kopriva, the funding was essential to the workings of the DUI legal system in the county because as a large number of people are being arrested for drunken driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or greater.

PA DUI attorneys have started familiarizing themselves with a new area of vehicular law:  texting while driving.

Although many states and some localities have enacted specific laws dealing with the issue of cellular telephone usage behind the wheel, federal authorities are pushing for state legislation on the distracted driving issue of texting. In recent years, smartphones have become commonplace and with the prevalence of these gadgets, email has become more prevalent as well. Email is no longer restricted to the office or to the personal computer. 

Interestingly, mobile email was supposed to simplify life, rather than complicate it. But with the availability of email messages on-the-go, the urgency to respond to messages has increased. As a result, many smartphone owners respond to emails and texts while behind the wheel. 

Impaired driving is the most frequently committed violent crime in America.

At least according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among young Americans. Alcohol impaired driving is the leading cause of motor vehicle fatalities in America. Every thirty minutes, someone in the United States is killed in an alcohol related crash. 

As a result, most Pennsylvania DUI attorneys are well aware that drinking and driving laws span the states and are extensive. Drunk driving laws have commanded national attention over the years.

PA DUI attorneys are seeing an odd increase in accidental early releases from jail. More than one Pennsylvania DUI felon has been released earlier than his scheduled sentence, due to clerical error.

Emilio Sanchez, 33, was convicted in 2007 of being drunk behind the wheel  of a truck, when he killed a man on Interstate 95. But due to a clerical error, Sanchez was not only released from prison before the end of his sentence; he was also deported to Mexico. 

When Sanchez pleaded guilty to a charge of vehicular homicide while DUI back in March 2008, he received a sentence under a negotiated plea bargain, of a three to six year prison sentence. 

A Britney Spears fan was arrested in Northampton County, PA earlier this year on suspicion of DUI. Channing Reynolds, 34, identifiable by his telltale Britney Spears tattoo, was taken into police custody in a DUI related incident in January. 

Interestingly, however, it won't be a PA DUI attorney that Reynolds will be needing. 

You see Reynolds may have been apprehended on a DUI charge, but he was a wanted man for another offense: Dognapping.

Reynolds had allegedly dognapped a chihuahua with pink earrings last July in South Florida, outside a popular gay bar. Unfortunately for the dog's owner, Brian Dorhort, 48, the suspect somehow evaded police custody for several months. 

How does a PA DUI attorney get a charge reduced from a DUI homicide to a lesser charge of reckless endangerment? 

Just as Thomas Senavitis. 

Senavitis became known as the "redneck who killed a senator", after his DUI crash in Gilbert; where state Senator James Rhoades was killed. Senavitis had alcohol in his system at the time of the accident and was charged with vehicular manslaughter. Throughout the ordeal, Senavitis claimed that he was being scapegoated. Indeed, Senavitis, a mechanic and grandfather of three, had the media against him, having been in a crash where a beloved politician was killed. 

But his PA DUI attorney had magic up his sleeve. Thomas Senavitis was acquitted of vehicular homicide. The jury found Senavitis guilty of lesser charges. Instead of being convicted of vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault, Senavitis was found guilty of driving under the influence and reckless endangerment. 

Luckily for Senavitis, his PA DUI attorney convinced the jury that Senavitis was not the sole contributing cause of the crash and of the Senator's death. In fact, his PA DUI attorney claimed Senator Rhoades was in the wrong lane at the time of the crash.

Given the proximity of Washington DC to Pennsylvania, many PA DUI attorneys are sitting up and taking note of the latest DUI news out of the District of Columbia:  Bad breathalyzers.

According to District of Columbia officials, there have been noted accuracy problems with the Intoxilyzer  machines, which are essentially the brand of breathalyzer machines used by the police department in Washington DC.  Eight out of ten of the machines have alleged inaccuracies. The flaw with the Intoxilyzer machine was uncovered during an audit of the police department and was reported by local D.C. news affiliates on Friday. 

For PA DUI attorneys, product flaws such as this one could be music to their ears.  A DUI case hinges largely on the credibility of evidence.  Many D.C. area attorneys are rejoicing at this news and given the proximity of D.C. to Pennsylvania, it's fair to assume that many Pennsylvania drivers stand to be affected by this issue.

Two drunk drivers were taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police yesterday after crashing into each other. 

The alleged perpetrators, Kiya Hughes, 27, of Trenton and Bhaumik Patel, 20, of Piscataway were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Both suspects took part in a chemical blood test. 

The Pennsylvania legal limit for blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent. Although penalties might be relatively minor for first time offenders at the lower limits of blood alcohol content, the penalties do become more severe for repeat offenders.

It would seem police officers aren't immune from the pressures of drinking while driving.  After a Pennsylvania DUI attorney pleaded not guilty on behalf of a state trooper charged with drunk driving earlier this week, an off duty New York police officer was charged with driving while intoxicated on Thursday night, when his car crashed on 65th Place between Woodside Ave. and Queens Blvd in New York City. 

Although there were no injuries in the New York crash, NY Officer Matthew Woods is in hot water. Officer Woods had allegedly crashed into a parked car. 

In the Pennsylvania DUI accident, officer John Quigg Jr., 48, was allegedly driving under the influence while off duty. 

According to the New York Daily News, Woods and Quigg are not the first police officers to face drunk driving charges while off duty. Since 1999, at least 55 active duty New York cops have been charged with drunk driving. Interestingly, however, most of them were not removed from their jobs, as they pleaded guilty to non-felony charges. 

St. Patrick's Day certainly yielded some interesting results for officers in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The police were out and about, casting a wide net to catch people who were drunk behind the wheel. 

The officers set up St. Patrick's Day sobriety checkpoints along Route 15 in Tunkhannock, Chestnuthill  and Tobyhanna Townships. The officers claimed five arrests for DUI related charges  such as driving under the influence, one minor drug possession charge and fifty one summary traffic arrests, according to the Pocono Record. 

While many of the apprehended individuals are left scouring for a PA DUI attorney, the concept of constitutionality of the roadblocks raises several questions.  

What does it take to get out of jail free?  Maybe that question is best left to the Pennsylvania DUI attorneys representing William Halloran.

You see, normally when a prisoner is let out of jail early through no fault of his own, his time out may be credited to his remaining jail time; or such is the practice at the Department of Corrections in Pennsylvania. 

This week, Halloran underwent a two-part hearing where a judge ordered the Department of Corrections not to credit the time--where Halloran was accidentally released from prison before his term ended-- toward his prison term, despite argument from his Pennsylvania DUI attorneys. 

34 year old Halloran was released one year early for a DUI charge. On Thanksgiving in 2004, Halloran struck and killed a 12 year old boy, Peter Roberto Jr.  Halloran was driving under the influence at the time of the accident. He then fled on foot. 

An East Stroudsburg man and his Pennsylvania DUI attorneys are preparing for their upcoming trial. Robert J. Kidwell III, 31, is facing charges of driving drunk and killing a pedestrian in January 2009.

The pedestrian, 22 year old Daniel A. Gallagher from Bushkill PA, died when Kidwell's vehicle hit him in the Stroud Township. According to the Pocono Record, such fatal accidents have become commonplace in Northern Pennsylvania, as several pedestrians and bicyclists have fallen victim to drunk drivers.

In this incident, Gallagher was dead on the scene. He was walking on the road when he was struck. Police are unconfirmed as to whether Gallagher was crossing he road or whether he was walking alongside the road at the time of the impact.

Kidwell failed sobriety tests and police report that Kidwell appeared visibly intoxicated at the time of the incident. His blood was drawn shortly after the incident and he was found to have a blood-alcohol content of 0.13 percent.

Pennsylvania's legal limit is 0.08 percent. 

You may no longer use your cell phone while driving in Allentown, PA. A new law comes into effect at the end of the month, which will ban the use of cell phones while driving.

The law comes into effect on Friday and may have a hefty fine for anyone caught talking on their cell phone while behind the wheel. Fines could be as high as $300. 

And the law doesn't just apply to talking on a phone. Even people who are caught texting or browsing the web could be cited under this new law. The law will not be implemented harshly, at least not for a few weeks, although drivers caught texting, surfing or talking will receive a warning. The warning will include information and advice on using hands-free devices. According to a spokesperson from the city, the city's first priority is to inform citizens, prior to penalizing them. 

The Senavitis case ended when his Pennsylvania DUI lawyer got him acquitted on the charge of vehicular manslaughter. 

Thomas Senavitis was on trial for vehicular manslaughter while DUI.  He had allegedly been driving drunk when his pickup truck collided with the Cadillac of a prominent Pennsylvania politician.  The politician, State Senator James Rhoades, died in hospital the next day. 

As discussed in an earlier post on this blog, the key question came down to whether the jury believed, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Thomas Senavitis was the sole cause of the Senator's death.

The jury could not find Senavitis guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and as such, Senavitis was only found guilty of the lesser charge of driving while intoxicated (DUI).

A man is in custody after nearly hitting two automobiles in Dunbar Township earlier this week. 

The man, 24 year old Christopher John Martin, was allegedly driving in the wrong lane while driving under the influence last Sunday afternoon. The driver of one of the cars he passed followed the suspect and confronted him at a stop light. 

Martin apparently did not seem to happy about being confronted. He placed his car in reverse and slammed it into the other driver's car. In the collision, the 11 year old daughter of the confronting driver was injured, as her head had hit the windshield, causing a spider-web effect on the glass, according to a Pennsylvania State Police officer.  

In a case that Pennsylvania DUI attorneys will be studying for years to come, Thomas Senavitis was acquitted of vehicular homicide  today after a week-long trial.

Senavitis was being tried for the vehicular death of Senator James Rhoades, a prominent Pennsylvania politician who was killed on the campaign trail when his Cadillac collided with Senavitis' pickup truck in 2008.  At the time of the crash, Senavitis allegedly had a blood alcohol level over four times the legal limit. 

Senavitis' family rejoiced, but his PA DUI attorney had begun preparing for the second phase of the ordeal.  Senavitis and his PA DUI attorney may be seeking an appeal  of his DUI conviction.  Despite the fact that he was acquitted of vehicular homicide, he was still found guilty on lesser charges of reckless endangerment and driving under the influence.  According to his PA DUI attorney, Senavitis could face up to two years in prison. 

If you find yourself facing Pennsylvania police for a possible arrest in a DUI incident, here's a helpful hint: Don't kick the police officers.  It just makes it that much more difficult for your PA DUI lawyer to defend you.

An Allentown woman didn't think much of this, however, when she kicked a police officer in the chest. The woman, Lauren Marie Hummel-Spruill, 20, allegedly assaulted the officer while the officer was placing her in the patrol car. The state trooper involved was placing Hummel-Spruill in the car following an arrest for driving under the influence.

Ms. Hummel-Spruill also allegedly had drug paraphernalia in her possession at the time of the arrest.

Another state trooper was also mildly injured in the event, hurting his knee while attempting to restrain the suspect. 

Opening statements were heard on March 10, as the trial began. The trial is expected to continue on until early this week, when closing arguments will be heard and the jury will enter deliberations. 

Living dangerously might be fun for some, but it certainly has its consequences.

PA DUI attorneys were unable to help Angel Vasquez, the 31-year old man who was told by a Montgomery County judge that he had lived a life of recklessness. Vasquez was sentenced earlier this month after his PA DUI attorneys convinced him to plead guilty.

Vasquez pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault by a vehicle while driving drunk, driving under the influence of alcohol and fleeing or attempting to elude police. 

Given Vasquez's criminal history, there was not much his PA DUI attorneys could do on his behalf. Indeed, the judge spoke of Vasquez's lifestyle, calling his driving record "deplorable" and citing his convictions for assault and violating protection from abuse orders. 

With Saint Patty's day fast approaching, Pennsylvania DUI attorneys are getting their affairs in order to deal with the possible influx associated with this drinking holiday.

But some Pennsylvania county officials are taking measures to curb drunk driving on this festive drinking day.  Lackawanna county officials are starting a campaign to urge locals into being more cautious about underage drinking this St. Patrick's Day.

This initiative comes in light of the 2007 accidental drowning of Matthew Grendel, a University of the Sciences student from Philadelphia.  At the time of the incident, Grendel had been drinking.

Thus, the initiative taken by local and county officials includes a plethora of items, from printed materials to slogans.  The parade takes place in Scranton and has typically been one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country.  Although the campaign is essentially launching around the time of St. Patrick's day, it is a campaign that plans to attack the issue of underage drinking year-round.   

The PA DUI attorneys will now take the floor, as the prosecution rested on Thursday in the drunk driving trial of Thomas Senavitis.

Thomas Senavitis, 46, of Kunkletown, is the criminal defendant on trial for the October 2008 vehicular death of State Senator James Rhoades. Senavitis has been charged with drunk driving in the death and has been deemed allegedly responsible for the death.

Sen. Rhoades and his wife, Mary Edith Rhoades, were traveling on Route 209 when their black Cadillac collided with Senavitis' green Chevrolet pickup truck in front of the Beechwood Inn in Gilbert, PA.  As a result of the collision, Rhoades' vehicle also struck a green minivan that was parked on the side of the road.  Fortunately for the minivan's passengers, they escaped unharmed, with the minivan suffering only minor damage. 

A man who was mistakenly let out of jail early is now back in custody. The man, William Halloran, was jailed after a Thanksgiving 2004 DUI crash, where he killed a 12 year old boy and then fled the scene.

Halloran, the father of two, allegedly got behind the wheel of a friend's SUV on that fateful morning and struck Peter Roberto Jr., killing him. Halloran was drunk at the time of the incident. He fled the scene of the accident. Subsequently, Halloran was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of the accident. 

At his sentencing hearing  with his PA DUI attorney in May 26, 2006, Halloran received 4 to 8 years behind bars. He was also ordered to pay $9,000 to Roberto's family for funeral costs and had to perform 100 hours of community service, in addition to speaking at high schools about the perils of drinking and driving.

The Philadelphia DUI attorney representing Jesse S. Maiden was unsuccessful in convincing the court to lower his client's bail. Maiden's bail was sent at $650,000 and Assistant District Attorney, John Doyle, convinced municipal court Judge Jimmie Moore to keep it intact. 

Maiden, 36, was arrested on New Years Day after a police officer spotted the vehicle driving northbound on Interstate 95, with the headlights turned off. Subsequently, Maiden's black Jeep Cherokee was responsible for a three-car pileup near Bridge Street--a fatal accident that killed a man and his girlfriend. 

But Maiden's car was not the only car responsible. According to testimony, all three drivers were drunk on that New Year's morning, just after 2:30 a.m. Maiden, however, also had crack cocaine in his system; as well as marijuana.   

According to NJ.com, the people who organized a "Playboy Mansion Dance Party" that resulted in a number of criminal arrests and citations, will not be charged themselves.

The party took place at the Yardley Community Center on February 20, of this year. District Attorney David Heckler claimed that the officers of Sixx-Pak Entertainment lied to the community center when they booked the party as a "teen dance." Mr. Heckler claimed that this party was a "rave." One of their previous parties that they held was titled "Corporate Hos and CEOs."  

A woman who was driving home after the party, was pulled over and arrested for a DUI. The second criminal charge was against a man who gave a minor alcohol at the party. A 17-year-old girl was discovered in the parking lot with a dangerously low body temperature: 94 degrees. Apparently, she was not allowed to reenter the party, so she stayed outside in the cold.

Last week, a woman was sentenced to two and-a-half to five years in prison for homicide by vehicle while DUI, according to the Pocono News.

Lauren Phillips, 25, was convicted of a number of other crimes including DUI, accidents involving death or injury while not properly licensed and driving without a license.

The accident that caused the DUI death occurred on November 22, 2007, in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. While Ms. Phillips was driving on Welcome Lake Road, she allegedly lost control of her vehicle, and her car slammed into a tree. During the accident, one of the passengers that was in the car with her passed away from his injuries in the collision.

Pennsylvania officers have a new trick up their sleeve in detecting an impaired driver.

Findlaw explains that officers are now becoming a part of Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training. In this discipline, officers are trained in how to spot a driver who may be impaired by a drug as opposed to alcohol. The 16-hour training course is taught by experts who are certified in drug recognition. With the training that the course provides, officers will learn how to recognize if a driver has been using an illegal substance and possibly, which substance it might be.

As of December of last year, there were 400 to 500 Pennsylvania officers who had completed their ARIDE training and received their certification. The training course provides them with a better understanding of DUIs.

The Bucks County Courier Times reports that out of a total of 21 drivers that were arrested for a DUI last week, 3 of them were under the age of 21.

A 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl were both arrested for a DUI in Bensalem. A 19-year-old boy was also arrested in Lower Southampton.

The Century Council reports that in 2008, 559 people under the age of 18 were arrested in Pennsylvania for a DUI. That is more than one percent of all of the DUI arrests in the state. However, out of the 497 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities that occurred in the state in 2008, 50 of them involved a person under 21 years of age. That is 10 percent. While 1 out of a 100 DUI arrests involves a minor; a minor is involved in one out of ten DUI fatalities.

On March 15, 2010, students will have the opportunity to experience drunk driving from the safety of a simulator.

According to the Penn State Altoona News, PennDOT and the DUI Association will be at the Slep Student Center to help students better understand DUIs. Their DUI "Safety Simulator" (Safety SIM) which has been a very popular learning tool, will be there to show students how difficult and dangerous it is to drink and get behind the wheel. The Safety SIM itself is made up of a "real dashboard, a real steering wheel, driver's seat, and even a heater and radio." While the student is in the realistic vehicle, he/she will be facing a virtual reality that he will have to drive through as safely as possible.

The Sun Gazette reported last September that in the Safety SIM; the weather, driving conditions, impairment level of the driver, and the time of day could all be altered. After a spin in the Safety SIM, one Pennsylvania College of Technology student said, "(The simulator) really changes my perception of drunk driving. It's really hard. I have never driven while drunk and I never will."

In a recent celebrity DUI case, Bobby Rydell has entered a DUI program for nonviolent first-time offenders in Pennsylvania, according to the AP.

The 67-year-old crooner was driving in Narbeth in August of last year when his 1969 Bentley drove over a curb and into a wall. No one at the scene was hurt. KYW News reported that the wall he struck was located in the 700 block of Montgomery Avenue. Mr. Rydell has voiced his remorse over the car accident.

As reported by the Times Herald, when police officers arrived on the scene at 6 p.m. on August 17, they noted that Mr. Rydell's vehicle had been driven into a wall. Mr. Rydell explained to police that when he had turned into the wall, he had meant to turn into a parking lot that was not for another block. Police were able to detect the smell of alcohol, and they also noticed his glassy eyes, slurred speech, and unsteady movements. He completed the field sobriety test with an "unsatisfactory" rating.

Represented by his Pennsylvania DUI attorney in court on Friday, Glenn Krugle III was sentenced to two to ten years in prison for his DUI offenses.

The Intelligencer reports that Mr. Krugle pleaded guilty in his DUI case to one count each of DUI causing death and misdemeanor DUI causing bodily harm. For the first offense alone, Mr. Krugle was sentenced to two to ten years in prison. For the second offense, he was sentenced to one year in prison. However, since the sentences are set to run concurrently, the total sentence remains at two to ten years. Also, the 120 days that Mr. Krugle was under house arrest will go towards time served during his sentence.

The reason for Mr. Krugle's DUI case occurred on Memorial Day of last year when he drove his truck over the center line on U.S. 30 and into the victim's vehicle. In the DUI crash, 34-year-old Michael Tangora was killed and his passenger was injured. It is believed that Mr. Krugle's truck was going 93 mph at the moment of impact.

The Intelligencer reported a recent DUI arrest in the news that concerned a Pennsylvania man who was pulled over for speeding, but was later arrested for a DUI.

Robert Cheek Jr. of Pittsburgh was driving on W. VA. 2 when he came to the attention of a deputy. The speed limit in the area is only 50 mph, so it was easy to spot Mr. Cheek; who was going 99 mph. Mr. Cheek's white van was almost going twice the speed limit. Once the deputy approached the vehicle, he realized that there were three open containers inside of the van. The deputy cited that a beer, a mixed drink, and a whiskey bottle were all open.

At the time of his arrest, Mr. Cheek was employed by a business in Bethel Park, PA. He was driving down to Moundsville in order to deliver auto supplies to a business in Moundsville. 

Jokingly, the Ohio County Sheriff Pat Butler said, "He got to Moundsville (the Northern Regional Jail), but not with the auto parts." 

Despite all of the efforts of Penn State, the student council, and the tavern association, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that this year's State Patty's Day was a record day for arrests. Police say that they made 160 criminal arrests; that is twice as many as last year. In a previous article by the Philadelphia Inquirer, they reported that last year's event was a busy time for PA DUI lawyers because out of the 79 criminal arrests, 14 were for DUIs. There were also 31 disorderly parties and 21 people who required medical help following an alcohol overdose.

The Centre Daily reports that there was at least one person arrested for a DUI this weekend. Celia Criniti, 18, was allegedly driving drunk on College Avenue when she hit a pedestrian. After the accident, Ms. Criniti allegedly left the scene. Later officers pulled her over and noticed the damage to her car. Police claim that it was, "obvious that she knew she hit someone." The victim was treated for pain in her back as well as numbness in her arm.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, charges were filed against a 32-year-old man who allegedly crashed his vehicle into a World War I memorial.

As of March 1, the man involved in the crash that damaged the monument had not been named. According to police, the suspect's van struck the memorial that was located at Lowrie and Ley streets on Saturday night. The monument, which was a marble pillar, was removed on Sunday due to the damages.

His charges include "driving under the influence, having an open container in a vehicle and possession of marijuana, in addition to a charge related to an accident involving unattended property." It is unclear whether he will also be charged with hit and run. A Pennsylvania DUI attorney has not yet been named to represent him.

Every week there seems to be a new batch of DUI arrests that were collected at a DUI checkpoint.

The Herald-Mail reports that two people were arrested for DUI at a DUI checkpoint on U.S. 30. In addition to the two DUI arrests, two other people were arrested for drug violations. Another person was arrested for underage drinking. A second DUI checkpoint was stationed in the Radio Hill area of Hamilton Township. From that checkpoint, officers issued 34 warnings.

In a span of four hours, from 11 p.m. on Friday night until 3 a.m. on Saturday morning, the police believe that they stopped about 300 vehicles.

In order to better understand your rights at a DUI Checkpoint, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute created a list of relevant information pertaining to DUI checkpoints. Categorized by state, the list contains citations and statutes regarding DUI checkpoints that PA DUI lawyers are familiar with.

Any Pennsylvania DUI attorney would say that in this case, the police officers had a reasonable suspicion for pulling this driver over.

According to the York Daily Record, a man was spotted driving on Route 15 with only three tires. On February 3, at 9:42 a.m. John Russel Saum Jr. was stopped by the Carroll Township police after they noticed sparks flying from his vehicle. The officers noted that Mr. Saum was missing a front tire and the tire rim. There was only a disc brake inside of the wheel well.

After he was stopped, police discovered that Mr. Saum could possibly be intoxicated. He was charged on February 15 with a DUI in addition to "careless driving and tire equipment and transaction surfaces."

The Altoona Mirror reports that within two weeks, Blair County will know if their DUI court has received the funding that it needs.

Blair County Judge Daniel J. Milliron is hoping to receive a $250,000 two-year grant in order to admit more people into his DUI court. The court is so popular, that Judge Milliron believes some PA DUI lawyers are stalling their clients' cases in order for them to have a chance at entering the program.

If they receive the money from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, they are hoping to employ a probation officer in addition to two testing technicians. A local forensic coordinator commented that in addition to the new employees and their training, the grant money will also go towards supplies and treatment.

The Times Leader reports that there is a petition circulating in Pennsylvania that is seeking to discontinue the option for some convicted DUI offenders to enter the State Motivational Boot Camp.

PA DUI lawyers and certain DUI offenders would be affected if this petition is passed because it would take away one of the options for treatment for DUI offenders. According to the Times Leader, the boot camp is "available for 18 -24 year olds who have killed someone while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol." Under the law, if the convicted DUI offender completes the six-month boot camp program in addition to serving one year in prison, he could be released. Without the boot camp option, the convicted DUI offender would spend a minimum of three to six years in prison.

People arrested for a DUI in Pennsylvania will soon encounter a new booking process. ABC 27 News reports that instead of having the blood of a DUI suspect drawn at a hospital, the blood alcohol test will begin at the new Cumberland County booking center in the prison. The blood will also be analyzed by Cumberland County's in-house lab as opposed to a local lab.

Cumberland County District Attorney Dave Freed explained that the previous system was very expensive. Before, the suspect's blood would be drawn at a hospital. Then it would be transported to a lab where the blood alcohol test would be performed. Mr. Freed commented that for as much as they were paying, they could hire their own phlebotomist. In doing this, Mr. Freed hopes to save time and money.

A non-roster catcher of the Phillies was arrested last week for suspicion of a DUI, as reported by the Philly News.

Dane Sardinha who signed on with the Phillies for a minor league contract in January of this year, was stopped in Clearwater Florida for suspicion of a DUI. According to the Pinellas County Sherriff's arrest log, Mr. Sardinha was arrested early in the morning on Monday, February 22. He was booked at around 2 a.m., and he was released six hours later. Mr. Sardinha had to post a bond of $250 in order to be released.

Mr. Sardinha was with the Phillies practicing and working out at 9:30 a.m. that very morning in Bright House Field.