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Carbon County court - DUI

Four defendants who previously pleaded guilty to driving under the influence were sentenced Monday in Carbon County court by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Joseph Bodnar, 34, of Hazleton, also had pleaded to fleeing and attempting to elude police. He was arrested on July 24, 2015, by Weatherly police after they observed a vehicle speeding along Hudsondale Street. The vehicle was clocked going 90 mph at the time.Officers began a pursuit but stopped a short time later for safety reasons. Police learned the driver was Bodnar, who was later found and taken for a blood test. The test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. He also pleaded to criminal mischief for breaking the windshield on a vehicle before the chase.On the fleeing charge Nanovic sentenced him to time served (54 days) to 18 months in jail followed by two years of probation. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,500, have his license suspended for a year, supply a DNA sample, and zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use. Nanovic ruled the DUI charge merges with the fleeing count for sentencing purposes.On the mischief charge he was placed on probation for a year, concurrent and ordered to make restitution of $1,064.44.Harold James Roddin,56, of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced on two DUI charges. He was arrested on Aug. 21, 2014, along Old Stage Road in Penn Forest Township by state police at Fern Ridge. A test showed 0.14 BAC. The second arrest occurred on Aug. 27, 2015, along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed 0.13 BAC.On the first count Roddin was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300. On the second count he was sentenced to serve five days to six months in prison consecutive to the first count, pay a fine of $750 and license suspended for a year. He will begin the jail term on April 22 at 4:30 p.m. and serve three days and then on April 29 and serve two days.Matthew Raybon Gilfilen,20, of Pen Argyl, was arrested on June 7, 2015, by park rangers at Beltzville State Park in Franklin Township. A test showed 0.11 BAC.He was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, and one-year license suspension. On a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, he was placed on probation for six months, consecutive to the DUI charge.He will begin the jail term at 9:30 a.m. April 14 and serve three days and on April 28 and serve two days.Jason Smith,38, of Lehighton, was arrested by state police at Lehighton on Nov. 22, 2013. A test showed the presence of a controlled substance.Nanovic sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use and continue attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He was given credit for time spent in an inpatient rehabilitation program which exceeded the 72 hours and he was paroled.Each defendant must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.