A Carbon County man was sentenced to a state prison term on Thursday on charges related to driving drunk and causing a head-on crash and seriously injuring the other driver.

Judge Joseph J. Matika rejected a plea for a county prison term and sentenced Thomas Wayne Kolb, 41, of Weissport, to serve a total of 18 to 36 months in a state correctional institution on charges aggravated assault with a vehicle while DUI, a felony, and DUI. Kolb previously pleaded to the charges.Mahoning Township police charged Kolb in connection with a crash that occurred on Jan. 23, 2015, along Route 902 (Mill Road).Police said the crash took place at 4:02 p.m. when a 1993 Chevrolet pickup driven by Kolb and traveling north toward Summit Hill, crossed the centerline, striking a southbound Kia Sportage, operated by Timothy Kistler of West Penn Township. Each driver was flown by medical helicopter for treatment of their injuries to the Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest.Kistler suffered serious injuries, including a right femoral neck fracture, open right femoral shaft fracture, right patella fracture and other injuries.Police said Kolb admitted he had used marijuana and alcohol. A blood test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.18 percent in addition to the presence of delta-9 carboxy THC. In exchange for the plea, charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and three summary offenses were dropped.Defense attorney Matthew J. Mottola of the public defender's office told Matika his client has struggled with alcohol abuse for many years and also admitted using cocaine.He said Kolb addressed his problem by entering the Salvation Army's inpatient rehabilitation program in Wilkes-Barre, where he spent 183 days, successfully completing the program.Mottola said Kolb understands the serious injuries he caused but asked that he be sentenced in the mitigated range of the state sentencing guidelines in the county prison.Kolb told Matika, "I'm sorry for what I did."Matika said he received a letter from the victim noting the serious and permanent injuries he sustained as a result of the crash.He said, "The victim has asked for a state prison sentence."Matika said he saw "no mitigating factors" in the case.In addition to the prison term, Matika ordered Kolb to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, make restitution of $5,986.89 to the victim, supply a DNA sample, have no contact with the victim, and pay court costs of about $1,000.Matika said the DUI charge merges with the first count so no prison term would be imposed. However, he did impose a fine of $1,000 and a one year license suspension.Kolb was given credit for the 183 days spent in the inpatient program. He will begin the jail term at 5 p.m. Aug. 26.