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Carbon County Court - DUI

Seven defendants, who previously pleaded to driving under the influence charges, were sentenced on Tuesday in Carbon County court.

Judge Steven R. Serfass imposed sentences on the following:Garett Corie Anthony, 24, of Palmerton, was arrested on July 23, 2014, by state police at Lehighton along Forest Inn Road in Lower Towamensing Township after being involved in an accident. A test showed a 0.19 BAC.Serfass sentenced him to serve 48 hours to 6 months in jail, a fine of $500, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service.Anthony also pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed on probation for a year, consecutive to the DUI charge.He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on Nov. 6.Susan Ann Zelienka, 53, of Palmerton, was arrested on May 3 in the 700 block of West Edgemont Avenue by Palmerton police. A test showed 0.11 BAC.She was sentenced to serve 5 days to 6 months in jail, a fine of $300, one-year license suspension, get a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, and render 25 hours of community service.She will begin the jail term at 8 a.m. Oct. 28 and serve 3 days, and Nov. 13, and serve two days.Bonnie Steinbrunn, 55, of New Ringgold, was arrested on Sept. 26, 2013, along North Street by Jim Thorpe police. A test revealed a 0.11 BAC.She was sentenced to serve 48 hours to 6 months in jail followed by 5 months and 28 days in the county's Intermediate Punishment Program with the 28 days on electronic monitoring, pay a fine of $750, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service. She will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. Nov. 4.The IPP supervision will be transferred to Schuylkill County.Donald Charles Fritz Jr., 43, of Lehighton, was sentenced on two DUI charges. He was arrested for the first offense on Nov. 12, 2014, by state police at Lehighton along Route 248 at Parryville. The second occurred on Dec. 17, 2014, along Mauch Chunk Road in Palmerton by Lehighton troopers. In both cases tests revealed the presence of a controlled substance.On both counts he was ordered to serve 72 hours to 6 months in jail, with the terms running consecutively, pay total fines of $2,000, two years of license suspensions and render a total of 50 hours of community service.Matthew S. Fritzinger, 25, of Lehighton, was arrested on Dec. 20, 2013, by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop in Mahoning Township. A blood test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. At the time of the arrest Fritzinger was in the county's Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program on a criminal mischief charge. He was revoked from the program because of the new criminal charge and pleaded to the count at his DUI hearing.On the DUI charge Serfass sentenced him to serve 72 hours to 6 months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension, and render 25 hours of community service.On the mischief count he was placed on probation for a year, consecutive to the DUI charge, and render 50 more hours of community service.He will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. Nov. 9.Luis Edgardo Padilla Jr., 34, of Allentown, was arrested on Aug. 16, 2014, along Route 443 in Lehighton by state police at Lehighton. A test showed the presence of a controlled substance.Serfass sentenced him to serve 72 hours to 6 months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service.He was given credit for 17 days spent in jail on the charge and paroled.Fleeing chargeRobert Adam Miller, 53, of Lehighton, was sentenced on charges fleeing or attempting to elude and driving under suspension-habitual offender which he previously pleaded to. He was arrested on May 12 by Lehighton police when he was observed riding a motorcycle along South First Street and passing other vehicles erratically. Police attempted to stop him but he fled, leading officers on a chase along various streets in the borough. He eventually crashed the bike and ran off, entering a home in the area of the 1200 block of Market Street. Police found him in the home and took him into custody. A burglary charge was dropped in a plea bargain.On the fleeing charge Serfass sentenced him to time-served (34 days) to 1 day less 24 months in prison and ordered he render 100 hours of community service.On the habitual offenders count he was placed on probation for 24 months, consecutive to the fleeing charge and ordered to render another 100 hours of community service.Each defendant must also pay court costs of about $1,000, and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.