Carbon County court — DUI

A Walnutport woman who refused to stop for police and led them on a chase until police were able to stop her, pleaded guilty in Carbon County court on Thursday and was immediately sentenced to a prison term.

She was one of 14 defendants in pending driving under the influence cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Steven R. Serfass.

Lehighton incident

Brooke Laine Matis, 21, pleaded to one count each of DUI and fleeing or attempting to elude police, a felony.

The incident occurred on June 26 when police were responding to a retail theft report at the Walmart store. The county communications center sent out a description of the vehicle involved in the theft and it was spotted by Lehighton police along Route 443.

Police got behind the vehicle and attempted to stop it using the police cruiser’s siren and emergency lights. The driver refused to stop and led them onto Route 248 toward Palmerton. The vehicle was finally stopped after police were able to “box in” the vehicle.

The driver was identified as Matis and she was found to be under the influence. She submitted to a blood test, which revealed the presence of control substances.

Defense attorney Charles E. Dutko Jr. told the court that his client, in addition to a drug problem, has mental health issues. She has been an inmate in the county prison since her arrest.

On the fleeing count, Serfass sentenced her to time-served (105 days) to one day less 24 months in prison. On the DUI count she was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months, pay a fine of $1,000 and license suspended for a year. The prison terms run concurrently. She must also render a total of 125 hours of community service when paroled.

Other pleas

Braxton Richard Reppert, 22, of Lehighton, was arrested on May 4 by state police at Lehighton along Fairyland Road in Franklin Township. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000 and one-year license suspension. He also pleaded to a charge of possession of a controlled substance and placed on probation for six months, consecutive to the DUI charge. He must also render a total of 50 hours of community service.

Jason M. Wermuth, 32, of Palmerton, was arrested on Sept. 12, 2018, by state police at Lehighton along Route 248 at Bowmanstown, after being involved in a crash. Wermuth refused a test.

He was sentenced to serve 30 days to six months in prison, pay a fine of $750, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service.

He will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 and serve it on consecutive three-day weekends.

Ryan Kyle Kristiansen, 30, of Jim Thorpe, was arrested on May 20, 2018, by state police at Lehighton along Maury Road in Penn Forest Township after being involved in a crash.

Sentencing was deferred so Kristiansen can obtain a blood and alcohol evaluation.

Carl Christman, 39, of Lehighton, was arrested on Feb. 24 by state police at Lehighton along Route 443 in Lehighton. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. He also pleaded to driving under suspension.

On the DUI charge Serfass sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service. On the suspension count he was fined $1,000.

He is currently an inmate in the county prison serving another sentence. The DUI term is concurrent with the other sentence.

Michael George Pavlosky, 42, of Jim Thorpe, was arrested on Aug. 29, 2014, by state police at Lehighton along Smith Road in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed a 0.11 BAC.

Sentencing was deferred so Pavlosky can obtain a D&A evaluation. He is currently an inmate in the state correctional institution at Camp Hill, Cumberland County.

Dorthea Price, 58, of Albrightsville, was arrested on June 6, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township. She refused a test.

She also pleaded to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance filed by state police at Hazleton for an incident on Feb. 1, 2018. Police served a search warrant on a residence in Penn Forest Township where Price was found with various drugs.

Serfass deferred sentencing so Price can get a D&A evaluation for the DUI charge. Serfass told her on the drug count she faces a minimum prison term of somewhere between six and 14 months.

Price is currently an inmate in the county prison on the charges.

Michael E. Taschler Sr., 64, of Lehighton, was arrested on Oct. 14, 2018, by Mahoning Township police along Grist Mill Road after being in a crash.

Sentencing was deferred so Taschler could apply for placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program - house arrest.

David J. Melicharek, 36, of Jim Thorpe, was arrested on April 2 by state police at Lehighton along Route 209 in Towamensing Township. A test revealed a 0.27 BAC.

Sentencing was deferred so Melicharek can obtain a D&A evaluation.

Krista L. Rice, 36, of Coplay, was arrested on Sept. 10, 2018, by Palmerton police along Mauch Chunk Road. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

She was sentenced to serve 72 hours to 60 months in jail, pay a fine of $1,500, license suspended for 18 months and render 100 hours of community service. She was given credit for three days already served and paroled.

Quintessa Shadawn Smith, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested on June 24, 2014, by state police at Pocono along the turnpike in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Sentencing was deferred for a D&A evaluation.

Taylor James Fehr, 23, of Bethlehem, was arrested on Dec. 9, 2015, by state police at Lehighton along Delaware Avenue in Palmerton. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Sentencing was deferred so Fehr can obtain a D&A evaluation.

Adam John Ceykovsky, 31, of Danielsville, was arrested on April 24, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Serfass sentenced him to serve 90 days to 60 months in prison, a fine of $1,500, license suspended for 18 months and render 100 hours of community service when paroled.

On a driving under suspension DUI related charge he was sentenced to serve 45 to 90 days, but must serve all 90 days, and pay a fine of $500. The jail terms run concurrently. He was given credit for 78 days already serve.

Ceykovsky is currently an inmate in the Northampton County prison awaiting sentencing on a probation violation.

Yolanda Medina, 56, of Palmerton, was arrested on Dec. 31, 2017, by state police at Lehighton along Forest Inn Road in Lower Towamensing Township, after being involved in a crash. She refused a test.

She was sentenced to serve 48 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service.

She was given credit for one day served and will begin serving the remaining day at 9 a.m. on Oct. 24.

Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation and follow any recommendation of their drug and alcohol evaluation.