The Philadelphia DUI Law Blog

Brent Celek DUI? No, Just a Passenger

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Showing good judgment, “Brent Celek DUI” did not make the headlines. Showing poor judgment, “Eagles’ Celek a passenger in DUI crash” did make the headlines.

On the night of his 27th birthday, the Philadelphia Eagles tight end was involved in a car accident when the car he was a passenger in crashed into a concrete barrier at the Packer Avenue off-ramp near Lincoln Financial Field, reports the Philadelphia Daily News.

Paul Jones Gets Minimum Sentence for Fatal DUI?

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Paul Jones drove drunk with a blood alcohol level well over three times the legal limit after taking an Oxycodone pill. He drunkenly drove into a bicyclist, Randall Bratu, hurling him 30 yards into the air and killing him.

Jones didn’t stop after killing Bratu, but continued driving in Lansdowne before striking a mini-van head-on that was carrying two women and a young child, reports the Daily Times. But not even this second accident stopped Jones. He was only stopped after the women in the mini-van gave police partial tag information and a vehicle description. So what penalty did Jones get for this fatal DUI?

Philadelphia Man Arrested for Fatal Delaware DUI

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On Saturday morning, Elton Paynter lost control of his car, and crashed into a man waiting for the bus. The victim was not identified, but he died following the accident.

Paynter also suffered minor injuries in the crash. Following his release from the hospital, he was arrested for driving under the influence after police found marijuana and a stun gun in his car, reports Delaware Online. Despite finding the marijuana, it’s not clear if Paynter was high at the time of the Delaware DUI or if he was drunk on alcohol.

Cherelle Parker DUI Trial Back On

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In the never-ending DUI saga of state representative Cherelle Parker, it appears that she will have to stand trial again for her drunk driving charges.

In November, Parker was acquitted of DUI after Municipal Judge Charles Hayden threw out most of the prosecutor's evidence against her, reports the Philadelphia Daily News. Prosecutors appealed the decision and Common Pleas Judge Paula Patrick agreed, ordering that Parker stand trial again, this time confronted with the prosecutor's evidence.

Judge's Wife, Jacqueline Bortner, Accused of DUI

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The wife of York County criminal judge Michael Bortner has been accused of drunk driving, and, in an unusual move, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office will be prosecuting her case as opposed to the York County District Attorney, reports The York Dispatch.

Jacqueline Bortner was pulled over by Springettsbury Township Police in late November after someone called in to report an erratic driver, reports the Dispatch. After catching up with Bortner, police determined her blood-alcohol content (BAC) to be 0.22 percent, almost three times the legal limit in Pennsylvania of 0.08.

Brennen Letukas pleaded guilty on Thursday to killing his best friend and seriously injuring another friend in a Bucks County DUI last year.

The 24-year-old Langhorne man will face at least three years in state prison for the fatal DUI accident, reports phillyBurbs.com.

Deshaunte Douglas Pees In Front of Cop, Gets Arrested

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If you're going to have a few drinks in the town, the best way to avoid getting arrested is to have a designated driver. But while a designated driver may be the best way to avoid arrest, it is no guarantee that you won't still get busted for bad behavior.

This is especially true if you pee in front of a cop and then kick the officer several times.

West Chester Man Strikes Flagger in DUI Accident

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Nicholaus DeSimone is a troubled young man and is facing his second DUI charge at the ripe age of 20.

This time, DeSimone not only damaged his own car and caused injuries to himself, he also struck a flagman in an active work zone, reports the Daily Times. To make matters worse, DeSimone was not arrested for ordinary drunk driving, but instead cops found heroin and syringes in his car and the 20-year-old has been charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

New Year's DUI News: 10 Dead, 172 Injured in PA

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Not a good way to start the New Year. After news of some localities stepping up their efforts to stop New Year’s DUI, the initial reports are that drunk driving this holiday season remained unchanged.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police, ten people were killed and 172 others were injured in the 552 investigated crashes from December 30 to January 2. Of those crashes, 79 were alcohol-related and involved two fatalities.

Police officers are on the lookout for many signs to spot potential drunk drivers. These signs can include lane changing, speeding, or just sloppy driving.

For Pennsylvania state trooper, Chad Burgwald, that sign was when 47-year-old Heather DeLong came barreling down in her Chrysler, striking Burgwald’s parked police cruiser and sending the trooper to the hospital with serious injuries, reports the Daily Local News.