Crime and Fire

Driver Was Under Influence of Pot, Police Say

Zionsville man was found with an ounce of marijuana, Macungie officers report. Blood test results confirm he was under the influence.

An Upper Milford Township man recently was charged with driving under the influence and possession of marijuana, according to Macungie police. Kevin Michael Beers, 20, of 5084 W. Wendi Drive, Zionsville, was stopped at 1:40 a.m. Feb. 16 in the 900 block of Willow Lane for an unspecified traffic violation, police said. The officer smelled a strong odor of suspected marijuana, police said, and appeared to be impaired. About an ounce of marijuana was confiscated. Beers was taken to the Lehigh County D.U.I. Center where blood was drawn for testing. Police said the results showed that marijuana was present in his system. Charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge Donna Butler of Emmaus, police said.

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Car Accident

Driver Fled After Crashing Into Pole, Police Say

Driver fell asleep, drifted off roadway and struck a utility pole, troopers report.

Alcohol likely played a role recently when a Breinigsville man drove off a Lower Macungie roadway and struck a utility pole, according to police. Kalman W. Konya, 27, fell asleep at the wheel at 2:45 a.m. Feb. 5 as he drove in the area of 6776 Hamilton Blvd., according to state police at Fogelsville. Konya's 1999 Dodge Stratus drifted off the right shoulder. His vehicle continued about 120 feet before the rear of his car hit a utility pole, police said. The car made a one-quarter turn and came to rest in a parking lot. Konya fled the accident, police said, but they found him at his residence, based on registration information. He showed signs of intoxication and was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, police said. …

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Injuries Slight Despite Lower Mac Vehicle Rollover

Car lost control, hit utility pole before landing on its roof, police say.

An Allentown-area man avoided serious injury early Aug. 9 despite his car striking a utility pole and overturning in Lower Macungie Township, just outside of Emmaus, according to police. Ron O'Neill, 20, was treated at an area hospital for minor injuries, according to state police at Fogelsville. O'Neill at 2:33 a.m. was heading north on Macungie Avenue and turning onto Orchid Place when his Hyundai Elantra lost control on a curve, police said. The car hit a PPL utility pole and overturned, coming to rest on its roof. O'Neill was transported to a hospital by Emmaus Ambulance for treatment of minor injuries, police said. They also said blood was drawn because they suspected O'Neill of driving under the influence of alcohol. Charges filed …

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Crime and Fire

Suspected Drunken Drivers Nabbed at Checkpoint

State had said it would hold detail to promote safety on the roads for July 4th.

The checkpoint promised by the Pennsylvania State Police to make area highways safer this holiday weekend was held in Lower Macungie Township on July 6 and netted three suspected drunken drivers, police said. The detail was held at Route 222 at Krocks Road and began at 10:30 p.m., according to state police at Fogelsville. They did not say how long the effort lasted or how many vehicles passed through. In addition to the three DUI arrests, one person was arrested for drug possession and another for possessing drug paraphernailia, police said. Several traffic citations also were issued, although they did not state the infractions. Many of the citations generally are for equipment failure, such as burned out tail lights. Police last week said…

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Crime and Fire

This July 4th, 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over'

State police will be out in force this holiday to keep highways safe.

Pennsylvania is serious about keeping highways safe over the Fourth of July holiday. So, the warning that comes via a slogan is direct: "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over." That might seem a little brusk, but the injuries or deaths that may come as a result of driving under the influence are serious business, state officials say. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported 897 motor vehicle accidents and 14 fatalities for the period July 1-4, considered the Independence Day travel period for 2011. Of those, 146 crashes and six fatalities were alcohol related. This year's holiday period will be considered July 4-8. "Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts your life and the lives of those around you in danger," said …

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Crime and Fire

Lower Mac Checkpoint Nabs 2 Suspected Drunken Drivers

Initiative also results in other citations and warnings, police say.

State police spearheaded another checkpoint this weekend to look for motor vehicle violations in general and motorists driving under the influence specifically and came away with two DUI arrests, according to a news release. Initiated by Pennsylvania State Police, the most recent effort was announced last week and was held between 11 p.m. June 2 and 3:30 a.m. June 3 at southbound Route 222 at Krocks Road in Lower Macungie Township, police said.  The checkpoint produced two arrests for suspected driving under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol, three citations for child safety seat violations, four other traffic citations and 26 warning notices for items such as burned out headlights or taillights, police said. State police generally…

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Crime and Fire

Horseplay Leads to Vehicle Stop

Passenger charged for hanging out of moving car, police say.

Nothing says, "Pull me over and see if I'm doing something illegal" to police quite like a person hanging out of a moving vehicle. It was certainly an invitation to a trooper at 1:02 a.m. April 15 near a busy Lower Macungie Township intersection. Police saw Steven Dewayne Condra, 27, of Allentown crawl out the front passenger-side window and sit on the ledge of the car in which he was riding while it was still moving at Lower Macungie Road near Brookside Road, according to state police at Fogelsville. Sure enough, that got the trooper to wondering what was going on, so he pulled over the vehicle driven by Noelle S. Gabovitz, no age given, of Allentown. Police said Gabovitz appeared to be under the influence. She was taken to the Lehigh …

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Crime and Fire

Weekend Checkpoint Snares Four for Driving Under the Influence

Police say Lower Mac enforcement effort also netted 17 summary traffic citations.

The sobriety checkpoint announced last week was held March 23 on the Route 222 Bypass in Lower Macungie, netting four arrests for driving under the influence, 17 summary traffic citations and three written warnings, according to state police at Fogelsville. As usual, police announced that a checkpoint would be held somewhere in Lehigh County over the weekend.  The practice is used as a deterrent to those who would be tempted to illegally drink and drive. However, specific details such as the exact time and location of the checkpoint are not announced so as to catch those who are not deterred. The checkpoint was conducted between 11 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. on the Route 222 Bypass just north of Krocks Road, police said.  Police stopped 196 …

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DUI Checkpoint Planned for This Weekend

Location will be somewhere in Lehigh County, troopers say.

A sobriety checkpoint will be conducted at an undisclosed Lehigh County location during the weekend of March 23-25, according to state police at Fogelsville. The occasional checkpoints are designed to reduce alcohol-related traffic accidents and the number of deaths, injuries and the amount of property damage, police said. Police have said the announcement of some details of checkpoints is designed as a deterrant to those who might be tempted to drive as they approach the state's 0.08 level of intoxication. Not announcing the exact date, time and location, however, prevents those who read the warnings from avoiding the checkpoints if they choose to drink and drive anyway.

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Crime and Fire

Don't Drink and Drive...or Fight

The following arrest information was supplied by the Pennsylvania State Police at Fogelsville. It does not indicate a conviction.

The following incidents recently were reported by state police at Fogelsville involving Lower Macungie Township: Charged: Victor Torres, Jr., 23, of Emmaus; Jan. 31 at 5:23 a.m. in the 1200 block of Minesite Road with disorderly conduct; Torres was involved in a loud agrument and a physical altercation, police said; also Jarrod Menzel, 20, of the 300 block of Oxford Place, Macungie; Menzel exhibited signs of intoxication when he arrived at the altercation, police said, and was arrested for driving under the influence. Charged: Eric Charles Baus, 42, of Emmaus; Feb. 1 for scattering rubbish in Quarry Park, 7909 Quarry Road; Baus drove his car to the park and dropped off parts of a refrigerator, plastic bottles and other household items, …

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