The Pennsylvania Superior Court has ruled that anyone who refuses to submit to a blood test cannot be penalized. The ruling was passed after a Chester County man was convicted of driving under the influence. According to the court, the individual was wrongfully penalized during his sentencing for refusing to submit to a blood test. The decision was based on a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling – Birchfield v. North Dakota – by Senior Judge John Musmanno who wrote that blood tests without a warrant are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. The ruling was based on a unanimous three-judge panel.…Read More
According to police reports, the crash that killed a 22-year-old woman and severely injured another at 11th and Market Streets in November was fueled by speed and booze. The incident was caused by 47-year-old David Gonzalez of Rhawnhurst who was driving his pickup truck while drunk at a speed of at least 59 mph. Court papers allege in an affidavit of probable cause that Gonzalez’s blood alcohol concentration level was recorded at 0.10 percent shortly after the crash that took place on 13 November at around 2:19 a.m. This was well over the legal driving limit of 0.08 percent. Skid…Read More
Fourth of July weekend is considered the third most deadliest period of the year involving drunken-driving fatalities. This fourth of July weekend, police across Pennsylvania have been adjusting to new rules and standards to pursue DUI cases. These changes have been necessitated by a recent ruling passed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Law enforcement authorities throughout Pennsylvania remained on guard during the fourth of July holiday weekend to make sure that drunken drivers are kept off roads. According to Joseph Gleason, Chief of the West Goshen Police Department in Chester County, his officers began adjusting to the new standards immediately.…Read More
21-year-old Colin Murphy of the 600 block of Appaloosa Street in Schwenksville was arrested and charged early Thursday with driving drunk and aggravated assault. The arrest took place shortly after he struck a Philadelphia police sergeant with his car in Manayunk before he took off. According to the police, Murphy was picked up after a tow-truck operator monitoring police scanner transmissions heard of the accident and saw Murphy’s 2008 Toyota Rav-4 near Ridge Avenue and Conarroe Street. The operator called the police who stopped Murphy about a block away and took him into custody. Just before 1 a.m. Thursday, Murphy…Read More
According to reports, Philadelphia police have been using improperly calibrated breathalyzer machines which may affect up to 1,000 DUI cases in Philly. A private attorney from Port Richmond notified the department Wednesday that the police were using calibrations that had legally expired. The statement was given Thursday evening by police spokesman Lt. John Stanford. Stanford also stated that all instruments were immediately removed from service as a result of the discovery. They were returned to service the same day after being properly calibrated. The District Attorney’s Office was asked by the department to conduct a review of the cases which…Read More
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Senate Bill 290 was overwhelmingly approved by the state House of Representatives to expand the use of ignition interlock devices for people who have been caught driving under the influence. The Bill was approved by a vote of 194-1 and is expected to return to the Senate for concurrence. With passing of this bill, the legislature aims to make ignition interlocks mandatory for those first-time DUI offenders who register a high blood-alcohol level at the time of arrest. Ignition interlock devices are installed on the steering column of the vehicle to test the blood alcohol content of…Read More
42-year-old Ricardo Patterson III of Willingboro was charged with driving under the influence and taken into custody for drunk driving, after he hit and killed a teenager Sunday morning. According to authorities, Patterson faces multiple charges including driving under the influence and reckless driving. An investigation into the matter is ongoing as authorities review the circumstances of the crash to determine whether more serious charges need to be filed. The teenager who was hit by Patterson’s vehicle was identified as 17-year-old Antwan Timbers Jr. He was walking with a friend shortly after midnight off the road at Route 130 South…Read More
HARRISBURG – A new bill signed into law by Gov. Wolf Wednesday aims to require installation of the ignition interlock device for some first time drunk drivers caught in Pennsylvania. According to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), the passing of this bill leaves only two U.S. states without any form of ignition interlock for first-time offenders. According to Wolf, drunk driving is a deadly crime that puts Pennsylvania families at risk. With the signing of this legislation, people will be prevented from driving drunk and endangering themselves and putting other lives at risk. “We owe it to both motorists and…Read More
Next month, a Northampton County judge will decide whether or not to allow house arrest for a 3-time DUI offender who is wheelchair bound and paralyzed. 30-year-old Miguelangel Tsiounis of Bethlehem Township was arrested for his third DUI arrest on 23 October, 2015 in Freemansburg. When police stopped and attested him, they found out that the driver was on parole for his second drunken driving conviction. Tsiounis was sentenced to 90 days up to 5 years in prison for the second offense. Since he was paralyzed, he spent the sentence on house arrest. His attorney, James Burke, is again looking…Read More
According to reports, an American Airlines pilot was arrested Saturday at Detroit Metropolitan Airport by the airport police after he allegedly showed up drunk for a flight to Philadelphia. The pilot was issued a Breathalyzer test before the flight which he failed. As a result, Flight 736, which was expected to arrive in Philadelphia at 8:47 a.m., was cancelled. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) detained the co-pilot who was determined to be under the suspicion of having a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit. According to law, FAA prohibits anyone from operating or attempting to operate an aircraft within eight…Read More