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By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County officials said they will wait to decide if any personnel action will be imposed against a high-ranking prison officer charged with drunken driving.

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Dallas Township police allege Lt. John M. Carey, 35, of Kingston, had a blood-alcohol level nearly three times above the legal limit after he crashed his pickup into two vehicles on state Route 415 on May 24.

County Warden Joseph Piazza and County Manager/Clerk Doug Pape said Tuesday that Carey wasn’t suspended from his job when they learned about the charges.

“He wasn’t found guilty; we’ll wait until the end of the case,” Piazza said.

Pape said the decision to suspend employees depends on the severity of the charges.

In recent months, two correctional officers at the county facility have been separately charged. Both were immediately suspended without pay.

John Gonda, 38, of White Haven, was charged in March by the state Office of Attorney General for his alleged role in a cocaine motorcycle club trafficking ring. And Jacob Heylek, 36, of Shickshinny, was charged in June by state police for allegedly stealing sunglasses and a pair of woman’s underwear from a parked vehicle.

According to court records, Gonda’s charges are all felonies and Heylek’s charges are all misdemeanors.

“It’s a misdemeanor case at this point,” Pape said about Carey’s charges. “For the others, there were a lot more serious crimes being put out there. I think in this case (Carey), we would wait and see how the case ends to see if any disciplinary action is taken. In both of those other cases, they are serious charges. Not that a DUI isn’t serious; I think the others were heavy duty.”

County Commissioner Stephen Urban believes Carey should be suspended without pay until his case is settled. He said the deciding factor to suspend county employees who are charged should be fair and universal.

“I have no problem suspending (Carey) pending the outcome of the case,” Urban said. “It has to be consistent with our policy when people are suspended without pay pending resolution of the case. It has to be across the board for everyone.”

Urban said Carey is in a leadership role at the county prison.

“DUIs are a serious issue; it’s something that we shouldn’t take lightly,” Urban said.

According to the criminal complaint filed on June 15 with District Judge James Tupper in Kingston Township:

Township police allege Carey struck the rear of a Dodge Neon that he attempted to pass on Route 415. Carey’s truck traveled into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a BMW.

Carey sped away and pulled into the Back Mountain Bowling parking lot because his truck became disabled.

Police allege Carey had a blood alcohol level of .23 percent after the crash. An adult driver in Pennsylvania is considered legally intoxicated with a BAC of .08 percent.

A preliminary hearing for Carey is tentatively scheduled for July 30.