Repeat DUI Offender Almost Hit Cruiser, Police Say

A man whose driver’s license expired almost four years ago and wasn’t even supposed to be driving because of a plea agreement is facing driving under the influence and other charges connected to an October traffic stop in Plainfield Township.

Court records say the car driven by Zachary David Cardwell, 23, almost hit a Plainfield Township police car when it went into the opposing lane of travel before being stopped early on Oct. 7 on the 500 block of Clyde Street off Sullivan Trail in the Belfast section of Plainfield.

Cardwell, who is also accused of having an expired registration, is facing two counts of DUI – one for allegedly having a blood-alcohol level of .16 percent or higher.

Court records do not list Cardwell’s blood-alcohol content at the time of the traffic stop. The legal limit for drunken driving in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.

Cardwell, of the 4000 block of William Penn Highway, Bethlehem Township, had a previous DUI incident and was not supposed to be driving as part of his acceptance into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first-time offenders, court records say.

The records say Cardwell’s driver’s license expired March 23, 2009, and the registration for his white 2000 Volkswagen Jetta four-door expired May 2012.

In addition to the two counts of DUI, Cardwell was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia (he allegedly had a silver metal smoking pipe with burnt green matter found in the car) and driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked.

Also, careless driving, required position and method of turning (he is accused of making an “extremely” wide left turn from Sullivan Trial south onto Clyde without using a turn signal), and registration and certificate of title required.

He was arraigned Thursday by on-duty District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro of Bethlehem and committed to Northampton County Prison after failing to post $2,500 bail.