The DUI/Homicide by Vehicle Unit of the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office was established in 1990 for the purpose of specializing the prosecution of DUI and similar cases through the use of specially trained prosecutors familiar with the particular aspects of these often highly technical crimes. The Unit is comprised of one Deputy District Attorney who supervises the unit, two Assistant District Attorney's, an Administrative Assistant and a DUI Processing Center Coordinator. The Unit is responsible for all DUI, Homicide by Vehicle, and related crimes which are prosecuted in Lackawanna County. Also under the umbrella of the Unit are the coordination of prosecution and policy issues regarding Furnishing Alcohol to Minors and Underage Drinking. The Unit takes a hands-on approach to the prosecution of these crimes by assisting officers in their investigations and in case preparation, beginning at the scene of fatal and serious injury crashes which are responded to by the attorneys in the Unit.

The Unit includes a DUI Processing Center located in the Lackawanna County Courthouse which is open on weekend evenings in order to assist local police departments with processing DUI offenders. The Center provides for uniform processing and prosecution of offenders, and provides an opportunity for local officers to quickly return to their primary patrol duties. Since its opening in 1990, over 2000 cases have been prosecuted through the Center. The Unit coordinates a very active Sobriety Checkpoint and Roving Patrol Program that enjoys nearly 100% participation of local municipalities. The purpose of the Sobriety Checkpoint Program is
to deter the community from drinking and driving and to increase the public’s awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving. Roving Patrols are increased patrols conducted throughout the count for the purpose of detecting impaired drivers and of enforcing the vehicle code. Both programs have led to numerous arrests and successful prosecutions
of drunk drivers. The program has also been recognized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for success in deterring drunk drivers and enforcing the DUI laws.

The DUI/Homicide by Vehicle Unit is committed to the prevention of alcohol-related offenses. The prosecutors in the Unit coordinate and design the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office Annual Prom/Graduation Safety Fair which hosts approximately 1500 high school juniors and seniors over a 2-day period at Genetti Manor in Dickson City.

The Fair is an active learning event where students participate in team building exercises to reinforce self confidence, self esteem, and to encourage positive life choices. The students are also given presentations by local and national figures on the dangers of drinking and driving and other destructive decisions. The Fair has welcomed community and state-wide support for its efforts. The Fair has been recently named in Memorium of Joseph J. Lupini, who was killed by a drunk driver in Lackawanna County. The prosecutors in the Unit also frequently speak at local school districts, colleges, and to civic and community groups regarding the dangerous consequences from drinking and driving and underage drinking.

The DUI/Homicide by Vehicle Unit has received state-wide recognition for its efforts in increased enforcement of DUI laws, for its efforts in prevention, and for its pro-active approach to ridding our streets of drunk drivers. In 2003, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office was one of only 4 counties nationwide, 2 in Pennsylvania, that was awarded a grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a "Best Practices" approach to addressing repeat DUI offenders. Through the grant, the District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas developed and implemented a DUI Court. The goal of DUI Court is to incorporate intensive treatment and accountability into the sentence a repeat DUI offender receives in order to attack the addiction to alcohol, to improve the offender's life style, and to prevent the offender from committing further crimes. The Lackawanna County DUI Court has seen many successes emerge from the program and has served as a model nationwide to other states seeking to implement similar programs. In the tradition of the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office, the DUI/Homicide by Vehicle Unit will continue to seek innovative and creative ways to address the issues of impaired driving and underage drinking in a manner that makes our community safer for everyone.

For more information contact the DUI Unit:
Deputy DA, Maryann Grippo

Email: grippom@lackawannacounty.org

Assistant DA, Corey Kolcharno

Assistant DA, Jonathan Pietrowski

Phone: 570-963-6717