Monroe crash leads to DUI count
A one vehicle crash in Monroe County has led to the driver facing a driving under the influence (DUI) charge. It was one of three DUI arrests reported by Pocono Mountain Regional police.
About 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 17, officers were dispatched to a accident along Fairview Avenue in Mt. Pocono. On scene officers located a Dodge Neon in the front yard at 105 Fairview with severe damage to the vehicle, which was close to striking the residence.
The driver was identified as Juan Carlos Guzman, 31, of Pocono Summit. An investigation revealed Guzman failed to negotiate a right curve which caused his vehicle to strike a utility pole and then a tree before coming to rest in the yard.
Officers detected the odor of an alcohol beverage on Guzman. He submitted to and failed field sobriety tests. He was then transported to the Pcoono Medical Center, East Stroudsburg, where he refused to submit to a blood test. He will be charged with DUI and several motor vehicle code violations, police added.
The second DUI arrest occurred about 4:23 a.m. on Friday, July 16, along SR940 in Pocono Pines, Tobyhanna Township. Police received a report of an erratic driver along SR423 and 940. Officers observed the vehicle in question with Florida plates on it on 940.
A traffic stop was made and the driver was identified as Stanley Cooyenga, 77, of Melbourne, Fla. He failed field sobriety tests and was transported to PMC for a blood test. The DUI charge is pending the test results, police said.
The third DUI arrest occurred about 11:37 p.m. on June 26 along SR940 at the entrance to Pocono Mountain West Campus. Police said a vehicle stop was made and the driver identified as Zachary Contopidis, 19, of Tobyhanna. He was suspected to be under the influence of a controlled substance-marijuana, police said. He was transported to PMC for a blood test.
A search warrant was secured for the vehicle and found inside was a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Police said the blood test results showed Contopidis had marijuana in his system.
He was charged with DUI, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary offense of roadways laned for traffic.
