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Our View: Yes to gradual minimum wage hike

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Ciavarella steps down as Hanover Area president amid bus issue, but stays on board

<p>RICE TWP. &#8212; A New York man suspected of being drunk when he crashed head-on into another vehicle &#8212; seriously injuring himself, his 7-year-old son, and two other people &#8212; requested his &#8220;union rep&#8221; when transported for a blood test, according to court records.</p><p>Township police allege Paul LaFranca, 57, of South Ozone, N.Y., was behind the wheel of his 2003 Chevrolet pickup traveling on Nuangola Road when he crossed into on-coming traffic and collided with another vehicle Feb. 19.</p><p>When LaFranca was transported to a local hospital for a blood test, police allege he requested his &#8220;union rep.&#8221; Police said LaFranca refused to submit to a blood test.</p><p>Minutes prior to the crash, officers say a surveillance camera outside the police department recorded LaFranca driving through grass, leaving ruts in the ground.</p><p>LaFranca was arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Ferris Webby on two counts each of aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence and aggravated assault by a vehicle, and one count each of DUI, endangering the welfare of a child, reckless driving and criminal mischief. He was released on $20,000 unsecured bail.</p><p>According to a criminal complaint:</p><p>Police responded to a head-on crash at Nuangola and Heslop roads at about 6:24 p.m. Feb. 19.</p><p>A bloody LaFranca was outside his truck asking police to get his son out of the wrecked vehicle. An officer crawled through the passenger-side window and was able to remove the boy, who was evaluated by a doctor at the scene before the child and LaFranca were transported to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.</p><p>Occupants of the other vehicle, Karen Fey and Robert Fey, were trapped.</p><p>Karen Fey struck her head off the windshield that had her hair hanging from the shattered glass. Robert Fey was not able to move and lost feeling below his waist.</p><p>Firefighters removed the passenger-side door to remove Karen Fey and Robert Fey from the wreckage. They were transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.</p><p>An officer detected an odor of alcohol on LaFranca, who admitted he had several drinks earlier in the day.</p><p>While at the hospital, LaFranca refused to give blood to hospital staff. An officer read LaFranca the Implied Consent Law and he continued to refuse to submit to a blood test, requesting a &#8220;union rep.&#8221;</p><p>Karen Fey suffered a broken arm and other injuries, and Robert Fey suffered a shattered pelvis.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Wright Township Volunteer Fire Department posted this picture on its Facebook page of a head-on crash that seriously injured four people on Feb. 19 on Nuangola Road in Rice Township. One of the drivers involved is now being charged with aggravated assault by vehicle and DUI. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_Wright-Twp.-crash-02192019-FB-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Wright Township Volunteer Fire Department posted this picture on its Facebook page of a head-on crash that seriously injured four people on Feb. 19 on Nuangola Road in Rice Township. One of the drivers involved is now being charged with aggravated assault by vehicle and DUI. </caption0><photoCredit0>Courtesy of Wright Township Volunteer Fire Department </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Police: NY man drunk in head-on crash that injured four in Rice Twp.