Carbon County court — DUI

Six defendants, who previously pleaded to driving under the influence and related charges, were sentenced on Friday in Carbon County court.

Judge Steven R. Serfass imposed sentences on the following:

Brett Fortna, 30, of Milford, Pike County, was sentenced to serve 90 days to 60 months in prison, pay a fine of $1,500, license suspended for 18 months, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and render a total of 200 hours of community service when paroled.

On a charge of make repairs/sell/offensive weapon for brass knuckles found in his vehicle, he was sentenced to serve nine to one day less 24 months. The prison terms run concurrent. On a charge of driving under suspension he was fined $200 and costs.

Fortna was arrested on July 29 by Lehighton police along Route 443. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

At the stop police found Fortna in possession of brass knuckles and a Glock .40-caliber handgun. A charge of firearms not to be carried without a license, concerning the handgun, was dropped in a plea bargain. Police also noted the car Fortna was driving had New Jersey registration plates but a Pennsylvania inspection sticker. In all, he was originally charged with 10 counts.

He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on Nov. 2 and was granted work release privileges.

Dane Skrimcovsky, 32, of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced in three cases. He previously pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

On the DUI count he was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service. He was given credit for 34 days already served on the charge a paroled.

On the possession of a controlled substance count he was sentenced to serve three to 12 months in the county prison with credit for 108 days already served and paroled.

On the possession of drug paraphernalia count he was placed on probation for six months, consecutive to the other charges. He must also render a total of 150 hours of community service.

He was arrested on the possession of a controlled substance charge on Sept. 28, 2017, by Jim Thorpe police in the 400 block of Fern Street. He was previously placed in the county’s ARD program but revoked because of other criminal charges.

The paraphernalia charge stems from an April 13 incident in Jim Thorpe in the 800 block of Center Street.

The DUI occurred on May 27 along Sixth Street and was filed by Lehighton police.

David J. Pituch, 35 of Palmerton, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and render 25 hours of community service.

He also pleaded to charges of simple assault and resisting arrest. He was placed on probation for 24 months on each count, running concurrent to each other but consecutive to the DUI charge, make restitution of $150 and render a total of 225 hours of community service.

Wieslawa Costa, 61, of Albrightsville, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service.

She was arrested on Nov. 19, 2017, along Shawnee Trail in Penn Forest Township.

She will begin her jail term at 9 a.m. on Nov. 2.

Tyler James Behler, 21, of Lehighton, was sentenced to serve 90 days to 60 months in the county prison, a fine of $1,500, license suspended for 18 months and render 100 hours of community service.

Behler was arrested on June 16 in the 1300 block of Mauch Chunk Road by Palmerton police after being involved in a crash. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He will begin the jail term at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 and serve it on consecutive periods of Wednesday to Sunday until the 90 days is finished.

Ryan Eckhart, 33, of Palmerton, was sentenced to serve 45 to 90 days in jail on a charge of driving while under suspension — DUI related. He must serve the full 90 days. He must also pay a fine of $500. On a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia he was fined $2,500.

He was arrested on Aug. 8, 2017, by Jim Thorpe police following a traffic stop along Lehigh Avenue.

He will begin the jail term at 4 p.m. on Nov. 4 and serve it on consecutive two-day weekends.

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

Enters plea

Justin Schmidt, 37, of Kresgeville, pleaded to one count of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

He was arrested on July 8, 2017, along Route 443 by Lehighton police. He refused a test.

Sentencing was deferred so he can apply for the Intermediate Punishment Program — house arrest.