Man admits taking vehicle for joy ride, crashing

A former area resident admitted taking a vehicle without permission for a “joy ride,” and ending up getting involved in a crash.

Kyle Michael Frantz, 23, of Harrisburg, who formerly had a Tamaqua address, pleaded to one count of unauthorized use of an automobile on Monday before Carbon County President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Frantz was arrested by Lehighton police for an incident on April 3, 2016, at the Gypsy Hill Garden Apartments. He took a PT Cruiser of a person he had been staying with and ended up in a crash causing damages.

Since the incident, Frantz entered the Salvation Army inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Harrisburg and has been there for the past nine months. He told Nanovic he will be released from the program this week but plans to stay in the Harrisburg area where he now has a job.

Defense Attorney Jennifer L. Rapa, of the public defender’s office, said her client “highly recommends” the Salvation Army rehab program. He was addicted to heroin.

Nanovic sentenced him to time-served (53 days) to one year and ordered he make restitution for damages in the crash totaling $5,245.85, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.