Press Releases

September 21, 2009

Erie County District Attorney DUI Task Force Conducts 200th Sobriety Checkpoint

The Erie County District Attorney's DUI Task Force began operations in early October of 1989 with the first organized sobriety checkpoint in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That initial sobriety checkpoint was held in Lawrence Park Township with members of the Erie County Detectives, Lawrence Park Township Police, and the Erie County Sheriff's Department. On Friday, September 18, 2009 The DUI task force celebrated twenty years of operation by conducting its two hundredth sobriety checkpoint in the County of Erie with the Lawrence Park Township Police Department in Lawrence Park Township. Just like it began, the Erie County Detectives and Erie County Sheriff's Department assisted Lawrence Park Police in conducting the checkpoint. The twenty-year anniversary makes the Erie County Sobriety Checkpoint Program the longest continuous sobriety checkpoint program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. "The two hundredth checkpoint and continuous twenty years of operation is a significant milestone for both the program and the Lawrence Park Township Police Department, says Chief Gerald Pfadt. Over the years the sobriety checkpoint program has raised awareness about the serious consequences of driving under the influence, has taken more than one thousand drunk drivers off Erie County highways and actually saved lives." The Lawrence Park Township Police Department is very proud to have conducted the very first sobriety checkpoint and to be involved with the program for twenty years, he adds."

District Attorney Jack Daneri says, "The objective of any task force is to identify an area of concern and fashion a course of action which, either eliminates the problem, or actively works towards doing so. Our efforts over the years demonstrate a commitment to the goal of keeping impaired drivers off the road." "Friday night's sobriety checkpoint is a remarkable milestone in DUI enforcement, adds Chief County Detective Larry Dombrowski. For twenty years the Erie County District Attorney's Office has aggressively had county detectives work with state and local police departments to raise awareness and remove drunk drivers from Erie County roadways to create safer highways for everyone. Unfortunately, DUI is still occurring on a frequent basis and more work must still be done to address the problem. Friday's checkpoint yielded five DUI arrests, one driving under suspension DUI related and numerous traffic violations. Pennsylvania State Police also brought four DUI suspects to the checkpoint for processing."

Contact:

Larry Dombrowski
Chief County Detective
Erie County District Attorney
Erie, PA
814.451.6410
ldombrowski@eriecountygov.org

January 15, 2008
District Attorney's High Tech Crime Unit Arrests Gannon Student for Possession of Child Pornography

On December 12, 2007 Gannon University officers reported to the District Attorney's High Tech Crime Unit that student located in Finnegan Hall was downloading child pornography. Titles such as  "11 year old" and "12 year old" with additional sexual content text were observed on the network.

County detectives and Gannon University network administrators were able to track down the offending Internet Protocol (IP) address and  Media Access Control Number (MAC) numbers to determine the location and identity. That information was traced to Scott W. Rittenhouse, a resident of Finnegan Hall,  a Gannon University student housing complex.

A search warrant was prepared by Detective Jon Reddinger and served on the dorm room occupied by Scott W. Rittenhouse. A HP laptop, several cd's and dvd's as well as two thumb drives were seized in the search.

A forensic analysis of the seized items was conducted by Chief Larry Dombrowski of the County Detectives High Tech Crime Unit. The analysis discovered numerous images and videos that were deemed to be child pornography.

Rittenhouse was arrested on charges of possession of child pornography  and arraigned before District Judge Thomas Robie this morning and placed on $50,000 cash bond.

December 28, 2006

District Attorney Brad Foulk recently received information about a program called ICE. This is an excellent idea that everyone might want to consider. ICE In Case of Emergency - Number - Stored in cell phone. A good idea that you may want to consider. A recent article from the Toronto Star, "the ICE idea", is catching on and it is a very simple, yet important method of contact for you or a loved one in case of an emergency. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the Population, all you need to do is program the number of a contact person or persons and store the name as "ICE". The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when they went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which numbers to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under. Following a disaster in London the East Anglican Ambulance Service has launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign. The idea is that you store the word "ICE" in your mobile phone address book and with it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency ". In an emergency situation, Emergency Services personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialing the number programmed under "ICE". Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2, and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference!

Jim MacElree

Judicial Security Committee