New Pennsylvania law increases penalties for repeat DUI offenders

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - Pennsylvania is increasing penalties for repeat DUI offenses under a new law now in effect. 

The law signed by Gov. Tom Wolf in July increases penalties for some offenders who receive a third or subsequent DUI conviction. The law was sponsored by state Rep. Chris Quinn.

It aims to lengthen sentences by requiring someone convicted of a third DUI offense to serve consecutive sentences for separate counts, instead of serving the sentences at the same time.

The law also increases the grading of offenses - and the potential length of the sentence - for someone convicted of a fourth DUI if they are caught with drugs or record a high blood alcohol content.

The bill was inspired by the death of Deana Eckman. A five-time drunk driver killed the 45-year-old Delaware County woman in 2019 when he drove his pickup truck across a double yellow line and slammed head-on into the car she was riding in, driven by Eckman's husband, who was seriously injured.

The 30-year-old pickup driver pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and other charges and was sentenced to 25 1/2 to 51 years in prison.

The driver, David Strowhouer, had been freed from state prison a few months before the crash after serving a concurrent sentence for his fifth DUI conviction.