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<p>SWOYERSVILLE &#8212; A local attorney is facing DUI charges after she was allegedly involved in a two-vehicle crash April 29.</p><p>Elizabeth Bartolai, 49, faces charges of DUI, having a blood alcohol content of .02 or higher (3rd offense), careless driving, reckless driving, failure to keep right, disregarding traffic lanes and involvement in an accident involving injury without being properly licensed.</p><p>According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the area of 975 Mountain Road at 4:55 p.m. April 29 for a report of a two-car crash with rollover and entrapment.</p><p>Police arrived to find a green Saab and a gray Chevrolet Silverado involved in the crash. The Silverado was overturned against a tree, while the Saab rested on the shoulder of the westbound lane of the roadway. Both vehicles had heavy damage.</p><p>Police identified the driver of the Silverado as Kenneth Seroka, who told police he was able to crawl out of the overturned vehicle. Seroka told police he was traveling westbound while the Saab, which was traveling eastbound, allegedly crossed into his lane of travel. Seroka attempted to swerve toward the eastbound lane of travel, but said his vehicle was struck by the Saab.</p><p>Seroka had a family member take him to the emergency room where he was treated for an injury.</p><p>Police then identified Bartolai as the driver of the Saab from a previous encounter. Bartolai reportedly told police as she was traveling eastbound, she observed a squirrel on the roadway and swerved to miss it. Bartolai also denied crossing into the westbound lane of travel &#8212; when asked by police how her vehicle sustained heavy damage to its passenger side, she alleged it was &#8220;already there&#8221; before the crash.</p><p>Police said as Bartolai spoke with an officer, she appeared to be unsteady on her feet, swayed back and forth, had droopy eyes and slurred words. When asked for her license, registration and proof of insurance, Bartolai allegedly told police her license was suspended due to a previous DUI, but added she had filed an appeal with PennDOT. Police continued to ask her for the information, but Bartolai allegedly became distracted and unable to focus.</p><p>When she was approached by EMS for medical evaluation, Bartolai allegedly walked toward the ambulance and ignored an officer as he asked for her information a fourth time. Police then looked up her information using her name and determined her license was suspended due to a DUI.</p><p>After her evaluation, Bartolai continued to appear unsteady as she walked back to an officer&#8217;s vehicle to speak more about the incident. After several more requests for her license and insurance information, police said she finally provided her license and insurance information.</p><p>Police said Bartolai&#8217;s license also had two holes punched in it.</p><p>Bartolai agreed to a field sobriety test. Police alleged she had to be given instructions several times and, after failed attempts, was arrested for suspicion of DUI.</p><p>Bartolai was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley for a blood alcohol concentration test, but allegedly refused, telling officers &#8220;what I am on is none of your business.&#8221; She also allegedly refused medical treatment.</p><p>Bartolai was then transported to the Larksville police station so she could be released to a sober individual.</p><p><strong>Other legal troubles</strong></p><p>The crash in April was not the first time Bartolai faced DUI-related charges.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/archive/238047/news-719-50760389-attorney-fails-to-appear-for-dui-hearing-document-says" target="_blank">The Times Leader reported on Nov. 26, 2014</a> an arrest warrant was lifted for Bartolai related to a DUI-related crash that occurred in April of that year.</p><p>She was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 25, but did not appear. Luzerne County Judge Hugh F. Mundy issued a failure to appear warrant, which would have been effective 9 a.m. Dec. 3, according to court documents. However, the judge&#8217;s office told the Times Leader at the time the warrant would be lifted, although the reason was not made clear.</p><p>In a two-page affidavit for that incident, police say an allegedly intoxicated Bartolai tried to hide marijuana from an officer and refused chemical blood testing.</p><p>Court documents for that case indicate charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and DUI were bound over to county court. Court documents also indicate DUI charges were withdrawn in county court, and Bartolai pleaded guilty to the possession charges and sentenced to probation.</p><p>Bartolai also has several active dockets in Luzerne County District Court over the past several months, including charges of accidental damage to an unattended vehicle, driving with a suspended license and exceeding the speed limit on a bridge.</p><p>She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing for her most recent crash for 10:30 a.m. June 6 before Magisterial District Judge David Barilla.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Atty. Elizabeth Bartolai charged with DUI