Carbon County court - DUI
A total of 10 defendants entered guilty pleas on Thursday to driving under the influence charges in Carbon County court.
Judge Steven R. Serfass accepted the pleas from the following:Kenneth Michael Greenfield Jr.,45, of Albrightsville, was arrested on July 1, 2014, along Old Stage Road in Penn Forest Township by state police at Fern Ridge. A test showed 0.13 BAC.He also pleaded to one count of theft for an incident on March 20, 2014, witha Jim Thorpe woman as the victim and jewelry taken.Sentencing was deferred so Greenfield could get a drug and alcohol evaluation and also apply for the Intermediate Punishment Program.Robert Michael Dotter,50, of Lehighton, was arrested on May 22, 2015, along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township by state police at Fern Ridge. A test showed 0.20 BAC.He was sentenced to serve 30 days to 24 months in prison, pay a fine of $500, license suspended for a year and render 100 hours of community service.He will begin the jail term at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 and serve it on consecutive 2-day weekends.Javier Jose Garcia,41, of Palmerton, was arrested on Oct. 5, 2014, along Lehigh Avenue by Jim Thorpe police. He refused a test and will lose his license for a year for the refusal.Sentencing was deferred so Garcia could apply for placement in the IPP. He faces a mandatory jail term.Scott Edward Hoats,47, of Lehighton, was arrested on Sept. 29, 2014, along Mauch Chunk Street by Mahoning Township police. A test showed 0.189 BAC.Sentencing was deferred so he could apply for the IPP. He faces a mandatory jail term.Kelsey Dee Berkes,22, of Lehighton, was arrested on Sept. 28, 2015, along First Street by Mahoning Township police. A test showed 0.22 BAC.A first offense, Berkes was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.Michael Anthony Damico,49, of Whitehall, was arrested on Aug. 8, 2015, along Delaware Avenue in Palmerton by state police at Lehighton. A test showed 0.11 BAC.Sentencing was deferred so he could apply for the IPP. He faces a mandatory jail term.Samuel William Lazarchick,36, of Lehighton, was arrested on July 16, 2015, along Route 248 in Bowmanstown by state police at Lehighton. A test showed the presence of a controlled substance.Sentencing was deferred so he could apply for the IPP. He faces a mandatory jail term.Melissa Sue A. Dieter,32, of Lehighton, was arrested on Aug. 8, 2015, along Delaware Avenue in Palmerton by state police at Lehighton. A test showed 0.09 BAC.Sentencing was deferred so she could obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.Bernard Lee Taschler,59, of Lehighton, was arrested on July 11, 2015, along Route 248 by Palmerton police. A test showed 0.20 BAC.A first offense, he was placed on probation for six months, fined $300 and ordered to render 25 hours of community service.Durell Lamont Cotton,30, of Lehighton, was arrested on Aug. 22, 2015, along Route 248 by Palmerton police. A test showed the presence of a controlled substance.He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service. He will serve the prison term beginning at 7 p.m. on Jan, 22, and serve two days, and Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. for one day.Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.