George Espinal, 33, of Mahanoy City, has been charged with DUI – Highest Rate of Alcohol, DUI – General Impairment, driving without a license, operating an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, careless driving, and causing damage to unattended property. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 11, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Mahanoy City Patrolman Jordan Smith, the incident began around 3:05 a.m. on November 17, 2024, when Espinal allegedly crashed his blue Toyota Corolla into four parked vehicles in the 900 block of West Centre Street.
A witness told police that after striking the parked cars, Espinal backed into a fourth vehicle before continuing eastbound. As officers responded, Ptlm. Smith spotted the Corolla leaving the scene, swerving repeatedly into the opposite lane.
When the officer attempted a traffic stop in the 700 block of West Centre Street, Espinal failed to comply, instead crashing into a telephone pole while turning onto D Street.
Police say Espinal showed clear signs of intoxication, including strong odor of alcohol, inability to stand without assistance, and slurred or incomplete speech.
A witness told police that after striking the parked cars, Espinal backed into a fourth vehicle before continuing eastbound. As officers responded, Ptlm. Smith spotted the Corolla leaving the scene, swerving repeatedly into the opposite lane.
When the officer attempted a traffic stop in the 700 block of West Centre Street, Espinal failed to comply, instead crashing into a telephone pole while turning onto D Street.
Police say Espinal showed clear signs of intoxication, including strong odor of alcohol, inability to stand without assistance, and slurred or incomplete speech.
Espinal reportedly admitted he had “drank a little bit,” but due to a language barrier and his condition, questioning was limited.
A records check revealed Espinal did not have a valid driver’s license, and the Corolla’s registration had expired eight months earlier. It was also suspended due to an insurance cancellation.
Espinal suffered an abrasion to his knee and was later found to have an injury to his right eye. He was transported by officers to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill East in Pottsville for evaluation.
Espinal declined to submit to a chemical blood test and requested an attorney—constituting an official refusal under Pennsylvania’s implied consent law.
Because of Espinal’s refusal and the seriousness of the crash, Ptlm. Smith applied for a search warrant to obtain Espinal’s medical blood results from the hospital. The warrant was approved by Judge Kilker on February 11, 2025.
On February 21, 2025, police received the certified medical records, which showed a serum ethanol level of 282 mg/dL from a blood sample drawn at 6:01 a.m. on the morning of the crash.
After conversion to whole-blood values—a standard procedure—Schuylkill County DUI Administrator determined Espinal’s estimated blood alcohol concentration to be between 0.2258% and 0.2828%, with an average converted BAC of approximately 0.245%.
A records check revealed Espinal did not have a valid driver’s license, and the Corolla’s registration had expired eight months earlier. It was also suspended due to an insurance cancellation.
Espinal suffered an abrasion to his knee and was later found to have an injury to his right eye. He was transported by officers to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill East in Pottsville for evaluation.
Espinal declined to submit to a chemical blood test and requested an attorney—constituting an official refusal under Pennsylvania’s implied consent law.
Because of Espinal’s refusal and the seriousness of the crash, Ptlm. Smith applied for a search warrant to obtain Espinal’s medical blood results from the hospital. The warrant was approved by Judge Kilker on February 11, 2025.
On February 21, 2025, police received the certified medical records, which showed a serum ethanol level of 282 mg/dL from a blood sample drawn at 6:01 a.m. on the morning of the crash.
After conversion to whole-blood values—a standard procedure—Schuylkill County DUI Administrator determined Espinal’s estimated blood alcohol concentration to be between 0.2258% and 0.2828%, with an average converted BAC of approximately 0.245%.
This is more than three times Pennsylvania’s legal limit of 0.08%.