A Ringtown man originally supposed to go on trial Thursday in Schuylkill County Court for driving under the influence instead pleaded guilty to that and four other DUI charges.
George S. Beaver, 54, admitted that he was DUI on five separate occasions in 2011 in northern Schuylkill County.
"We understand Mr. Beaver has had a change of heart," said Judge John E. Domalakes, who had been scheduled to preside over Beaver's nonjury trial.
Instead, Domalakes accepted Beaver's guilty plea, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would sentence the defendant on March 26.
Beaver pleaded guilty to five DUI charges, plus one count each of failure to have rear lights, seat belt violation, failure to obey traffic control signals, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, reckless driving and improper lighting.
In the case that had been scheduled for trial on Thursday, West Mahanoy Township police had alleged Beaver was DUI on April 10 in the township.
Of the other four cases, Shenandoah police filed two of them and state police at Frackville filed two others.
Shenandoah police charged Beaver was DUI in the borough on March 13 and again on May 20.
State police at Frackville alleged that Beaver was DUI on Aug. 8 in Union Township and on Sept. 14 in West Mahanoy Township.
In other recent county court action, prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against five defendants.
Diane M. Gernert, 54, Michael L. Gernert, 53, James H. Zweizig, 50, and Margaret C. Zweizig, 47, all of Schuylkill Haven, each had been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of children and four of disorderly conduct. Schuylkill Haven borough police had charged each of the four with committing those crimes on Feb. 8, 2011, in the borough.
Rashaw E. Leary, 25, of Shenandoah, had been charged with two counts each of simple assault and harassment and one each of terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person. Shenandoah police had charged him with committing those crimes on Jan. 4, 2011, in the borough.
In each of those five cases, President Judge William E. Baldwin signed an order allowing prosecutors to drop the charges and directing the defendant to pay court costs.
In other recent county court action:
A Tamaqua man left Schuylkill County Court a free man on Friday, as a judge dismissed a driving under the influence charge at the end of a 2 1/2-hour nonjury trial.
Joseph L. Houser, 28, was happy after Judge Jacqueline L. Russell dismissed the DUI charge, ruling that prosecutors had not sufficiently proven their case against him.
Tamaqua police had alleged Houser was DUI about 2:40 a.m. Feb. 12, 2011, on Route 309 in the borough near the intersection with Owl Creek Road.
"I asked him, 'Have you been drinking?' he said, 'Yes, I've had a few drinks,'" Tamaqua emergency medical technician Christopher Marsch testified about Houser.
Borough Patrolman Thomas C. Rodgers testified Houser told him a deer had run onto the road and he flipped his car. However, Rodgers said he smelled alcohol on Houser's breath.
Also on Friday, a Shenandoah man pleaded guilty to DUI.
James Garulle admitted he was DUI on April 12, 2011, in Shenandoah, as borough police had alleged.
Judge Charles M. Miller accepted Garulle's plea, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and scheduled the defendant's sentencing for March 21.
In another Friday case, Russell admitted Gary G. Baver, 27, of Auburn, into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, which will allow the defendant to have the DUI charge against him dismissed if he successfully completes it.
Schuylkill Haven borough police had alleged Baver was DUI on March 19, 2011, in the borough.