HIS 11TH DUI
RIDLEY MAN GETS 9-18 MONTHS IN JAIL
MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A Ridley Township man arrested in December on his 11th driving under the influence charge was sentenced to nine to 18 months in the county jail Monday after entering an open guilty plea before Common Pleas Court Judge James Bradley.
Mark Anthony Perrotta, 57, of the 400 block of Sycamore Avenue in Folsom, entered pleas to DUI controlled substance as a first offense in 10 years, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles and driving with a suspended license.
Pennsylvania has a “look back” provision to its DUI statute that allows any new offense occuring 10 years after sentencing on the latest DUI to be treated as a new first offense – even if the person has multiple prior offenses on their record.
Perrotta, represented by defense counsel Stephen Schukraft, was arrested Dec. 30, 2019, after striking a parked car on the 1200 block of Eddystone Avenue with his white Ford truck.
Eddystone Patrolman Michael Slowik was already responding to another unrelated call at that address about 6:37 p.m. and came outside to see Perrotta sitting in the truck with the airbag deployed, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Perrotta approached the officer with “an unsteady gait and appeared confused,” the affidavit says. He allegedly had pinpoint pupils and a white powdery substance in his moustache. Perrotta denied being under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances, but a search revealed five blue wax paper baggies of suspected heroin in his pants pocket, one of which was open and partially used.
“Perrotta denied ownership of the contraband found in his right front pocket, and stated that the pants he was wearing weren’t his,” the affidavit says.
Slowik began field sobriety testing, but quickly stopped due to safety concerns, according to the affidavit. Perrotta refused to have blood drawn for chemical testing and signed a form acknowledging refusal.
Perrotta was preliminarily arraigned Dec. 31, 2019, before Magisterial District Judge Philip S. Turner, who set bail at 10 percent of $50,000, according to online court records. Perrotta posted bail that same day, but it was revoked Jan. 10, 2020.
Assistant District Attorney Katie
Perrotta was preliminarily arraigned Dec. 31, 2019, before Magisterial District Judge Philip S. Turner, who set bail at 10 percent of $50,000, according to online court records.
Pennsylvania has a “look back” provision to its DUI statute that allows any new offense occuring 10 years after sentencing on the latest DUI to be treated as a new first offense – even if the person has multiple prior offenses on their record.
Magee noted that the prior 10 DUI charges in Delaware County all took place between 1982 and 2006, including four while Perrotta’s license was suspended due to DUI convictions. Magee sought state time of 15 to 30 months, noting Perrotta had a detainer that was not being addressed Monday.
Schukraft said his client had stayed out of trouble for 14 or 15 years before this latest arrest, which he attributed to getting mixed up in opioids after being prescribed Percocet for an injury and requested a sentence of nine to 18 months.
In addition to jail time, Bradley ordered Perrotta to pay $6,300 in fines, attend safe driving courses, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and serve one year of consecutive probation.