Carbon County court – DUI
A Carbon County resident admitted to stealing a vehicle wheel and tire and also a count of driving under the influence on Thursday in the county court.
He was one of four defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.
Penn Forest incident
Gavin James Downs, 19, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of theft and DUI in separate incidents.
He was charged by state police at Fern Ridge with removing a wheel and tire from a vehicle of a Penn Forest Township resident on Jan. 30, 2018. He was one of three people involved in the incident. He told Nanovic he wasn’t the one who removed the wheel and tire but admitted taking possession of it. He said he needed the wheel and tire for his vehicle because he had a flat tire. In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office dropped charges of criminal attempt — theft, receiving stolen property, and loitering and prowling at night.
The DUI occurred on Nov. 7, 2017. Lansford police stopped him along Patterson Street. A test revealed he was under the influence of a controlled substance.
Nanovic deferred sentencing because Downs must get a drug and alcohol evaluation for the DUI charge. Downs will also apply for placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program, house arrest, for the DUI count since he is facing a mandatory minimum prison term of 90 days.
Flees police
Bobbi Jo Simmons, 28, of Lehighton, pleaded guilty to one count each of flight to avoid apprehension and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She was arrested on Sept. 30 by Lehighton police. Police observed her walking across the Weissport bridge and knew there was an active warrant for her arrest.
When police attempted to stop her, she ran but was later apprehended and taken into custody. While being taken into custody, police found drug paraphernalia in a backpack. The warrant was issued to the county adult probation office for a probation violation. In exchange for the plea the DA dropped charges of resisting arrest and another paraphernalia count.
Simmons is currently in the county prison on the probation warrant since her arrest in September.
Simmons admitted to a heroin addiction. She said she went into an inpatient rehabilitation program and was “clean” for two years but then had a relapse.
On the flight charge Nanovic sentenced her to serve two to 12 months in prison, and on the drug count one year probation with the terms running consecutively.
She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use.
Other pleas
Tina Wing, 55, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of receiving stolen property.
She was charged by Lehighton police for an incident on Oct. 17 at a group home in the borough run by a Behavioral Health Services unit. Video surveillance showed Wing was to give a client at the home a lorazepam tablet, but when she took it out of its wrapping, she took the pill and never gave it to the client. She then filled out a report form in which she stated the client received the pill.
When confronted by an employee of the health firm, she admitted to the incident. She was immediately fired and the firm notified police of the incident, and charges were filed.
In exchange for the plea the DA dropped a theft charge.
Wing told Nanovic she took the pill because she felt her health problems were worse than that of the client, and she needed the drug more.
Nanovic placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations.
William P. Parr III, 23, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was arrested on June 13 at Mauch Chunk Road and Franklin Avenue by Palmerton police following a traffic stop. Parr was a passenger in the vehicle and found with the paraphernalia.
Nanovic placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation.
Those sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.
