Carbon County court – DUI

Three defendants in pending driving under the influence cases entered guilty pleas in Carbon County court on Monday to DUI counts.

Judge Steven R. Serfass accepted the pleas from the following:

James Rodney Schwoyer, 47, of Allentown, was arrested on March 2, 2018, by Mahoning Township police along Mauch Chunk Street after being involved in a two-vehicle crash. He refused a test. He was originally charged with 10 counts. He also pleaded to possession of a prohibitive offensive weapon. He was found with a 40-caliber handgun, which he was not allow to have.

Serfass deferred sentencing and ordered a presentence investigation report be prepared by the adult probation office.

Jonathan Strohl, 30, of Lehighton, was arrested on May 27, 2017, by Lehighton police along Route 209. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Sentencing was deferred so Strohl can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation and also apply for placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program, house arrest.

Tyler Behler, 21, of Palmerton, was arrested on Feb. 11, 2017, along Route 209 by Lehighton police. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Serfass sentenced him 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.

The term runs concurrent with a prison term he is now serving on consecutive weekends for another DUI charge.

Vehicle code

Tyler Moerder, 20, of Summit Hill, pleaded to three motor vehicle code violations. He was arrested on Oct. 2, 2018, by Lansford police at the intersection of Patterson and Centre streets.

Serfass imposed fines totaling $175.

Deanne Mullen, 49, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to two motor vehicle code violations which occurred on Oct. 18, 2015, along Stony Creek Road in Penn Forest Township, filed by state police at Lehighton, Three counts of DUI and one count of endangering the welfare of a child were dropped by the DA.

Serfass imposed total fines of $50.

Karen Maree Roberts, 37, of Palmerton, pleaded to one motor vehicle code violation. She was arrested on Jan. 10, 2015, by state police at Lehighton during a checkpoint operation. The DA dropped two counts of DUI.

Serfass imposed a fine of $150.

Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and those on probation or parole pay a $50 per month supervision fee.