Carla Bartell Sentenced Up To 7 Years For 6th DUI
On Friday, August 15, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced that an Allentown woman who pleaded guilty to her sixth DUI had been sentenced to up to seven years in state prison.
Bartell, Carla
According to the DA, Carla A. Bartell, 59, was given a term ranging from 16 months to seven years in jail for four counts of driving while intoxicated, two drug offenses, and two traffic infractions. Judge Dennis Reinaker handed down her sentence on Sunday, August 4, and it will run concurrently with an additional 18-month sentence for a parole violation related to a previous DUI in Lehigh County.
This is Bartell’s sixth DUI overall and her third in the last ten years. She had prior DUI convictions in Carbon County in 2014 and Lehigh County in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2019.
The latest case started on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, when Bartell was stopped by Manheim Township police on eastbound Route 30 close to Route 222. Her white car had straddled the dashed line and repeatedly crossed lane lines, according to officers.
Police said they smelled marijuana and alcohol in her car. According to the announcement, Bartell acknowledged consuming marijuana both before and during the drive, drinking two beers earlier, and sipping another while operating a motor vehicle.
Alcohol was detected by a portable breathalyzer, and she did not perform well on field sobriety tests. Baggies of marijuana, a blunt in the cup holder, a marijuana-filled plastic container, and a grinder with residue were found by the officers. The substances’ positive marijuana test result was later verified by the police.
Additionally, Bartell’s car’s registration was expired. Charges were filed the following day, and she was arrested and transported to Lancaster County Prison.
Almost three hours after the traffic stop, a follow-up blood test revealed that she had both alcohol and THC in her system. More than 12 grams of marijuana were discovered in the car, according to the police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kyle Linardo. The Drug Influence Evaluation was conducted by Cpl. Joshua Gay, and the charges were filed by Manheim Township Police Sgt. Randy Nolt.
