KIRKWOOD, Pa. — A Lancaster County judge last week sentenced a Chester County man to a prison term of 2 ¾ to six years following his 12th conviction for driving under the influence (DUI), the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said Monday.
Anthony Caraballo, 57, of Toughkenamon, was convicted in November 2022 of DUI in a case that occurred on Oct. 19, 2021, on Route 472 near Kirkwood, near where southern Lancaster County borders Chester County.
According to testimony, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Anthony Stoltzfus observed Caraballo driving a red 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 south on State Route 472 and crossing the center and fog lines multiple times, nearly striking an oncoming vehicle. The trooper ran the license plate, which showed the owner had a suspended driver’s license related to previous DUIs.
At approximately 6:32 a.m., the trooper conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of State Route 472 and Spruce Grove Road. Caraballo showed multiple indicators of impairment during the administration of field sobriety tests before being placed under arrest around 6:58 a.m.
Assistant District Attorney (DA) Kyle Linardo prosecuted the case and asked for an aggravated sentence of 3 ½ to eight years in prison due to the defendant’s history.
Caraballo had previous DUI convictions in 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, three times in 2002, 2006, 2008, 2015 and 2018, and his license is suspended until 2081, Linardo said.
“DUI is a majorly dangerous crime,” Linardo said. “In Lancaster County, you’re more likely to die at the hands of a DUI driver than at the other end of a gun.”
The defendant said he has an alcohol issue and made a bad choice in driving to different job sites in his job as a contractor, according to the DA's Office.
During the sentencing hearing, Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Conrad said he understood the circumstances, but said the defendant was a “threat to pedestrians and motorists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
The offense is Caraballo’s 30th driving while suspended conviction and 11th due to having his license suspended for a previous DUI-related offense.
Conrad sentenced Caraballo to 27 to 60 months on the DUI to run consecutively to six to 12 months on the driving under suspension conviction.
