Carbon man given prison term in four pending cases

A Carbon County man was sentenced last Friday to a prison term after previously pleading guilty in four pending criminal cases.

Lewis Searfoss, 45, of Lansford, was sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass to serve a total of 12 to 60 months in prison on charges of driving under the influence, fleeing or attempting to elude police (both felonies) and theft; criminal mischief, misdemeanor and summary offense of driving under suspension.

Searfoss was arrested on the fleeing count on Jan. 28, 2019, by Jim Thorpe police along North Street. Searfoss stole a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier in Lansford and crashed it into a property on North Street. At the time, Searfoss’ license was under suspension. The mischief count stems from an incident on the same day in Lansford. Police responded to a report of a person inside a vehicle. Searfoss had broken into the vehicle, causing damages, but fled before police arrived.

The theft count is for the stealing of the Jeep Cherokee in Lansford. The owner had entered a local business and left the engine running in the vehicle. Searfoss then stole the vehicle ending up in Jim Thorpe.

The DUI occurred in Lansford on Oct. 5, 2018.

Defense attorney Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, said his client has a history of mental health issues.

Searfoss told the court, “I shouldn’t have a license. I don’t want to kill someone.”

In addition to the prison term, Serfass ordered the defendant to get both mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, pay total restitution of $10,578.18, supply a DNA sample, pay a fine of $500 on the driving under suspension count, render 100 hours of community service when paroled, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole. Serfass also ordered that Searfoss not be released from prison until he is accepted into a mental health treatment program.