Stanley Pawlowski is led from the Luzerne County Courthouse after he was sentenced to five-to-10 years in state prison for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured an elderly couple in Mountain Top on Christmas Eve 2020. Ed Lewis | Times Leader
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WILKES-BARRE — Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas denied a request to allow a Dorrance Township man to begin serving his lengthy prison sentence at a later date.
Instead, Stanley W. Pawlowski Jr., 56, was taken away in handcuffs and shackles by sheriff deputies to spend five-to-10 years in state prison for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured an elderly couple in Fairview Township on Christmas Eve 2020.
Fairview Township police in court records say Pawlowski, of Aberdeen Road, was driving south on North Mountain Boulevard when he drove into oncoming traffic striking a 2017 Ford Escape, driven by Charles Burke and occupied by his wife, Geraldine, on Dec. 24, 2020.
Pawlowski had a blood alcohol level of .11 to .12 percent about one hour after the crash. An adult driver in Pennsylvania is considered legally intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent.
A state police accident reconstruction that analyzed data from the two vehicles revealed Pawlowski was traveling at about 52 mph and did not apply the brakes on his 2006 Chevrolet pickup truck until one second before the collision, court records say.
Burke was traveling at 17 mph and attempted to swerve at the last second.
Fairview Township police Officer Rachel Deluca said in court Charles Burke suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung and other serious injuries and spent 69 days in a hospital, while Geraldine required three surgeries and was hospitalized for 107 days.
“Both will never fully recover from their injuries,” Deluca said.
Pawlowski pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and one count each of driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence of alcohol on Dec. 10.
Assistant District Attorney Dan Marsh said the crash impacted the lives forever for the Burkes while requesting consecutive sentences on the aggravated assault DUI charge.
Lupas agreed sentencing Pawlowski to 30 months to 60 months on each count totaling five-to-10 years in state prison.
Pawlowski’s attorney, Wojciech Jankowski, asked that Pawlowski be allowed to report to prison in 48 hours to give him time to settle his affairs.
Lupas denied the request indicating Pawlowski was aware Thursday was his sentencing date.