Three Schuylkill County motorists learned the hard way Thursday that having a suspended driver's license means no driving at all, a lesson that has taken a long time for each to realize.
Frederick A. Postie, 40, of Tamaqua, will spend three to six months in prison and pay costs and a $1,000 fine after Judge Charles M. Miller found him guilty of driving under suspension in a nonjury trial that Postie did not attend.
"He has been driving without a license for quite some time," Miller said.
Miller imposed the sentence, the maximum permitted by law, at the request of Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Lehman, who noted that the offense is the 20th for Postie.
"He needs to understand that he's not allowed to drive," Lehman said.
Assistant Public Defender Christopher M. Riedlinger, Postie's lawyer, told Miller that he did not know why his client was not at the trial.
Rush Township police charged Postie with driving with the suspended license Jan. 22, 2011, in the township.
Gina M. Keiter, 29, of Pottsville, must serve 30 days in prison after pleading guilty to driving under suspension, Judge John E. Domalakes ruled.
Domalakes also sentenced Keiter to pay costs and a $1,000 fine, and made the sentence effective at 9 a.m. March 5.
Thursday's plea represents the 10th time Keiter has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, driving with a suspended license, and Domalakes could not understand her actions.
"Why do you continue to drive when you know you're not allowed to do it?" the judge asked Keiter.
"I don't know," she said.
Assistant Public Defender Andrea L. Thompson, Keiter's lawyer, told Domalakes that her client was helping a friend. However, Domalakes gave no consideration to that explanation, saying Keiter has to learn to say "no" when saying "yes" means breaking the law.
Pottsville police had charged Keiter with driving with the suspended license Oct. 3, 2011, on West Arch Street in the city. Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley had found Keiter guilty Dec. 30, but the defendant appealed that decision Jan. 27.
In the other case, Thomas S. Zimmerman, 51, of Gilberton, pleaded guilty to driving under suspension-DUI related.
Domalakes sentenced Zimmerman, formerly of Shenandoah, to spend 90 days on house arrest with electronic monitoring and pay costs and a $500 fine. Domalakes made the sentence effective March 1.
"I have quite a few" medical problems, which justified the house arrest instead of prison time, Zimmerman said.
Assistant District Attorney Rebecca A. Elo said Zimmerman now has 14 suspensions on his record and his license now is suspended by the state Department of Transportation until 2045.
"You don't have a license," Domalakes warned Zimmerman. "You're not allowed to operate a vehicle."
Shenandoah police had charged Zimmerman with driving with the suspended license Oct. 11, 2011, on West Arch Street in the borough. Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, had found Zimmerman guilty Jan. 12, but the defendant appealed that decision Jan. 25. Defendant: Gina M. Keiter
Age: 29
Residence: Pottsville
Crime committed: Driving under suspension
Prison sentence: 30 days
Defendant: Frederick A. Postie
Age: 40
Residence: Tamaqua
Crime committed: Driving under suspension
Prison sentence: Three to six months
Defendant: Thomas S. Zimmerman
Age: 51
Residence: Gilberton
Crime committed:: Driving under suspension-DUI related
Prison sentence: 90 days house arrest with electronic monitoring