Legislature approves tougher DUI penalties
HARRISBURG – The Legislature on Monday passed a bill inspired by a Bucks County teen-ager killed by a chronic drunken driver that would double the penalties a repeat drunken driver will face if pulled over for another DUI offense. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Robert M. Tomlinson, R-Bensalem, was passed Monday by the House after earlier being passed by the Senate. If signed by Gov. Mark Schweiker, it will become law.
The legislation increases penalties for those caught driving under the influence when their driver’s license is already suspended for a DUI offense.
It also will stiffen the requirements, so if the offender has a blood alcohol level of 0.02 percent, he or she will still be guilty of driving under the influence.
Currently, a driver’s considered guilty of driving under the influence if his or her blood alcohol level is 0.10 or greater.
The bill was inspired by Mark Shreck, a 16-year-old from Bristol Township who was killed in October 1999 by a habitual drunk driver who was high on a mixture of alcohol and crack cocaine. The driver, Linda Grubb, of Bristol Township had been cited for drunken driving more than 40 times since 1977. She is currently serving a 6- to 12-year sentence in state prison.
Currently, drivers who are arrested for driving under the influence with a suspended license for a second or third time face 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Under Tomlinson’s bill, the jail time would remain the same for first-time offenders, but the penalty would increase from $1,000 to $2,000. But a second violation would be considered a third-degree misdemeanor and, if convicted, the driver would serve at least six months in jail and have to pay a $2,500 fine. A third or subsequent violation would be considered a first-degree misdemeanor and, upon conviction, the driver would be sentenced to at least two years in jail and be given a $5,000 fine.
The DUI penalties are part of an omnibus bill that makes several changes to the state’s Vehicle Code. The bill also includes a measure that would allow for cameras to be installed at traffic signals in Philadelphia to catch drivers who go through red lights.