Lehighton man charged with DUI, endangering welfare of children

A Lehighton man faces charges of endangering the welfare of children and driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

Jeffrey Butz, 38, of the 100 block of Tiffany Lane, faces charges on two counts of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, and one count each of endangering the welfare of children and general lighting requirements.

According to the affidavit of probable caused filed by officer Shawn Leadbetter of the Palmerton Borough Police Department:

At 9:21 p.m. March 17, Leadbetter was on patrol westbound at the intersection of Mauch Chunk Road and Hillside Avenue when he observed a blue Hyundai with a passenger side taillight malfunction.

Leadbetter initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, where he identified a male driver through his driver’s license as Butz, and a passenger as a 13-year-old juvenile male.

Upon speaking to Butz, Leadbetter observed several indicators of drug impairment. Butz consented to a series of field coordination exercises.

At the conclusion of the exercises, Butz displayed positive signs of drug impairment.

Officer Dane O’Brien, who is a certified drug recognition expert, observed the testing and recommended a legal blood draw.

The test returned a positive result for methamphetamine.

Butz is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 7 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.