A former Carbon County resident entered guilty pleas on Monday in county court in five pending criminal cases.

Daniel Stephen Hunadi, 34, formerly of Nesquehoning and now of Harrisburg, pleaded to manufacture of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, simple assault and retail theft.

The first incident happened on May 27, when Lehighton police were notified that a truck had been stolen from the borough.

According to the affidavit filed by Det. Matt Arner, a woman said her Ford F150 had been taken from her home on North Third Street. At the same time, Arner heard of a fiery motor vehicle crash along East White Bear Drive in Summit Hill.

Summit Hill police compared the description of the stolen vehicle to the wreckage and confirmed it had been involved in several reports of an erratic driver in Mahoning Township, Jim Thorpe and finally Summit Hill.

Summit Hill police officer Kodie Pituch said that Hunadi was pulled from the burning vehicle by two passers-by and then told him “I was going through a rough time.”

Hunadi was flown to a Lehigh Valley trauma center for his injuries.

In the second incident, Hunadi was charged by Nesquehoning police with manufacture, delivery or possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance; manufacturing a controlled substance; unlawful possession of a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia. He pleaded guilty to the first count.

According to the affidavit filed by Chief Sean Smith, police were called about a man in a Ford Fusion acting like he was under the influence. The man, later identified as Hunadi, drove into the Sunoco gas station on the east end of town and almost struck the air pump in the parking lot.

Hunadi got out of the vehicle and began throwing things out of his car. Smith, as well as officer Carl Breiner spoke to Hunadi, who is known to police for drug use, and they observed him to be under the influence.

Police searched Hunadi’s vehicle and found what appeared to be 1.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine, as well as a pill container containing alprazolam.

The DUI was on May 27, 2021, filed by Summit Hill police after the crash. Felony counts of aggravated assault by vehicle and receiving stolen property were dropped in a plea deal.

The retail theft was on June 12, 2021, at the Walmart store in Mahoning Township.

Since his arrest and incarceration, Hunadi entered the Salvation Army’s inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program and successfully completed a 194-day stay at its Harrisburg facility.

Chief public defender Paul J. Levy told the court that Hunadi has remained a resident of Harrisburg, and works for the Salvation Army.

Hunadi said after some personal problems he turned to drugs and became addicted. He said he plans to “stay out of Carbon” where he had all his drug problems.

Serfass imposed jail terms on all charges, the terms all running concurrently. Hunadi was given a total jail term of six to one day less 24 months in prison with credit for the Salvation Army inpatient program and 110 days spent in prison before he entered the program for a total of 304 days credit which is more than his minimum term.

On the DUI charge Serfass imposed a fine of $1,000 and a one year license suspension, ordered zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use, no contact with any victims, supply a DNA sample, render a total of 250 hours of community service during the 24 month period, pay court costs of more than $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee.

He was also ordered to make restitution for damages in the vehicle crashes totaling $7,925.91.