Anthony Fickes Repeat DUI driver killed woman and self in Newberry Township Photo courtesy of CBS 21

Newberry Township Police Chief John Snyder Cites Pennsylvania’s Weak DUI Laws

“When I see innocent people injured or killed because of impaired drivers, I ask myself each time, why do Pennsylvanians tolerate this? Why do our politicians in Harrisburg keep looking the other way? The bodies are piling up and all we as police officers can do is keep fighting the fight on impaired driving enforcement. We need tougher DUI laws.”

– Newberry Township Police Chief John Snyder in a post on the department’s Facebook page.

From WHTM

Newberry Township Police Chief John Snyder

HARRISBURG, Pa. (01/10/2017) – Are Pennsylvania’s DUI laws too lenient? The question is being asked following a Facebook post from a police chief following a double fatal crash.

On Saturday, police said Anthony Fickes lost control of his SUV and slammed into another vehicle on Old Trail Road in Newberry Township. Fickes was killed and so was Edna Mikos, 66-year-old from York Haven, who was a passenger in the other vehicle.

Police said they found open bottles and cans of alcohol, both inside of Fickes vehicle.

Shortly after the crash, Newberry Township Police Chief John Snyder posted a lengthy Facebook message. Part of the post, which includes the phrase “bodies are piling up” calls for lawmakers to make tougher DUI laws.

The social media rant also includes a section where Snyder cites a study that says Pennsylvania DUI laws are some of the worst in the country.

“In my experience, there’s no question that Pennsylvania needs to take DUI cases more seriously than we do,” Craig Stedman, the Lancaster County District Attorney, said. “There’s a number of areas I think we can improve upon. One of the things we talk about is repeat offenders.”

Stedman said he would like to see a system where repeat DUI offenders turn into felonies. He also said 32 other states have a penalty where DUI offenders lose their car if they’re convicted of a second DUI.

“I’m tired of seeing the innocent people getting killed by this stuff,” Stedman told ABC 27 News. “We need to make a consequence such that it deters people.”

Police are still investigating the crash in York County.   MORE