Driving under a suspended license in Pennsylvania comes with tough consequences. Drivers can be fined and even thrown in jail. But 14 violations is the number it took for a York man to become what’s known as a “habitual offender.”
Harry Morales, 54, was pulled over Saturday when he was seen swerving while behind the wheel, according to police. When a state trooper ran his record, he found it was the 14th time Morales was caught driving under a suspended license.
Online court records also indicate Morales has pleaded guilty to seven DUI’s since 1988.
It wasn’t until last year that he pleaded to being a habitual offender, which may seem like an obvious title given his record, but in the eyes of the law it’s not that simple.
Attorney John Abom, who specializes in traffic cases, said a Pennsylvania driver must make three of the same infractions within a 5-year period in order to be deemed “habitual.”
“Although driving under suspension doesn’t always go to whether a person is a habitual offender or not, if you repeatedly commit the infractions you face increasing larger jail sentences,” Abom said.
It’s unclear if or how much jail time Morales could face if convicted. Court documents indicate he was not under the influence during his most recent offense.