Deputy coroner charged with DUI

Berks County Chief Deputy Coroner Jonn M. Hollenbach had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit when his pickup truck struck a parked SUV in Muhlenberg Township in late November, police said.

Hollenbach, 48, of Exeter Township, waived a preliminary hearing, Feb. 10, before District Judge Dean R.

Patton on the drunken-driving charge as well as failure to stay in his lane of travel. Hollenbach remained free to await further court action.

According to the criminal complaint:

Muhlenberg police were dispatched to a crash in the 4100 block of Kutztown Road on Nov. 24 about 12:30 a.m. The caller said a pickup truck had struck an SUV parked on the side of the road and that the driver appeared intoxicated.

Police arrived to find an SUV with heavy rear-end damage at an angle in the southbound lane. A pickup truck with heavy front-end damage was on the southbound shoulder and partially on the sidewalk.

Hollenbach was in front of the pickup truck. An officer saw that Hollenbach was swaying as he spoke to police and his speech was slurred.

Hollenbach failed a field sobriety test and was arrested for suspected DUI.

He was taken to the DUI Center, where a breath test was administered by a deputy sheriff. Results indicated his blood-alcohol concentration was 0.16%. A person is considered too impaired to legally drive at 0.08%.

Coroner Dennis J. Hess said Tuesday that he was aware of Hollenbach’s arrest but declined to comment on the charges, noting that it’s still an active case.

Hess said Hollenbach’s employment status hasn’t changed.