The Unionville Times has reported that a career DUI offender has pleaded guilty to DUI without a valid driver's license that resulted in the death of a young volunteer firefighter, in his eighth DUI conviction.
R.L., 50, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement that will allow him to serve between eight to 17 years behind bars. The arrangement was made between his defense attorney Joseph P. Green Jr. and Assistant District Attorney Marilyn Seide Mitchell.
The accident occurred on April 26 at 10:28 p.m. when R.L. slammed his Dodge Ram 250 into the motorcycle ridden by L.C., 25, on Rt. 202 at Stanton Avenue. Westtown-East Goshen Regional department police officers arrived on scene to discover L.C. lying in the roadway.
L.C., who was wearing a protective helmet, died two days later.
R.L. exhibited signs of intoxication and blood tests proved that his alcohol content was 0.28 percent. According to the chief of staff for the District Attorney's Office, C.G., R.L. had spent his evening at Timothy's Restaurant in West Chester before getting behind the wheel.
Though R.L. could have obtained a valid driver's license, due to his DUI history he would have had to have an ignition interlock device installed in his vehicle – the device, much like a Breathalyzer, is used to determine if the driver has consumed too much alcohol to drive. If the interlock device detects alcohol on the breath of the driver the car will fail to start.
According to C.G. the paperwork ordering the interlock device was found in R.L.'s truck.
C.G., who presented all of the evidence to Chester County Court Judge Anthony A. Sarcione, also stated that R.L.'s DUI history included seven offenses between 1981 and 2009.
Sarcione addressed R.L. and said, "Mr. (R.L.), that's almost to the absurdity level, isn't it? And now it takes a life." As both L.C.'s family and the police agreed to the plea bargain Sarcione said that he would accept it, though "somewhat reluctantly."
The sentencing was set by Sarcione for May 7.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan also had misgivings about R.L.'s plea deal. Hogan told reporters that the years in jail "is not enough when you have this type of hard-core alcoholic who does not care" and that R.L. had consumed between 14 to 15 beers which was "enough to make a normal person flat on their back passed out."
Hogan said that though R.L. was well aware of his DUI history he still made the irresponsible decision to get behind the wheel and pilot a "3 ½ ton steel missile" that night.
In speaking about the victim, a young man with a bright future, Hogan said that R.L. simply "took a weapon and murdered him."
Contact a DUI attorney if you have been charged with driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, operating while intoxicated or operating under the influence. Only an attorney versed in defending drunk driving charges has the experience you need in court!