On Saturday, the Mayor of Kittatinny Gustavus G. Petykiewicz has landed himself in some hot water after he was involved in car accident located on the intersection of State Highway 117 and Fonebone Road in Frontenac, Schuylkill County.
The 65-year-old was reported of driving while intoxicated and is looking to face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
A witness named Alice Magarian claims that when Petykiewicz appeared to hesitate at a stop sign on West Fonebone Road, pulled forward into the intersection slowly and ended up striking the driver side door of a 1997 Buick Le Sabre.
The 41-year-old says that she was several car lengths behind the scene of the crash and was able to safely stop and pull over.
Deputy Gordan J. Slivovitz responded to the report from dispatch about this incident and quickly called the Schuylkill County ambulance to arrive at the scene.
Both Petkiewicz’s Ford Explorer and the Buick were severely damaged in the accident
The driver of the Buick is identified as Robert H. Doane.
Doane had to be assisted on getting out of his vehicle by paramedics and be put on a back board.
He was then sent in the helicopter and flown to Northeast Pennsylvania Hospital and Trauma Center in Wilkes-Barre.
The 51-year-old suffered a broken jaw, broken ribs, injury to the head, and chest.
Deputy says that Petykiewicz’s speech was slurred and there was a half-empty bottle vodka that was open in his car.
Petykiewicz looked to be uninjured in the crash.
When ask if he had been drinking, Petykiewicz responded, “You’d be drinking too, if you were me.” He followed that up by saying, “Do you think we could just keep this quiet? I’m the mayor of Kittatinny.”
Petykiewicz agreed to taking a breath test and it indicated that his blood alcohol level of .14, which is almost twice the legal limit in the state of Pennsylvania.
He was then placed under arrest after being examined by paramedics.
He was sent to the Schuylkill County Jail in downtown Kittatinny where he booked, fingerprinted and had to get mug shots taken.
His wife, Gloria Petykiewicz, arrived at the Schuylkill County Jail two hours after the accident had occurred and posted a cash bail of $500.
Schuylkill County District Attorney, Robert J. Morgenthau says that there will be a preliminary hearing held at the Schuylkill County District Court Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
It is expected that Petykiewicz will be charged of driving while intoxicated.
A day prior to the car accident occurring, the Susquehanna Steel Corp. was going to close the facility that will leave about 900 people to lose their job.
The President of the Kittatinny City Council, Denelda Penoyer, planned to meet with Petykiewicz to discuss a way to cut the city budget after the plant plans to close operation on Dec. 1.
“Company officials have told us that the write-down of the plant as an asset will cost the city about $1.6 million in property taxes next year,” said Penoyer. “That means the overall city budget will have to be cut from $7.6 million to $6 million.”
Penoyer also says that the 900 people who were laid off from their job will be eligible for at least 26 weeks of unemployment compensation, but they will not receive anymore of it after that.
“It terrifies me to think of what could happen to our community,” Penoyer said.
With Petykiewicz having to serve his sentence and the city’s budget going to decrease, dark times are expected to make it’s way to the city of Kittatinny.
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