Over the weekend, State Senator Pat Browne (R-Allentown) crashed his motorcycle on I-78.
Turns out he was driving while intoxicated.
According to Steve Esack of the Morning Call, Sen. Browne will be charged with drunken driving and driving at unsafe speeds.
As Esack points out, this is not the first time Browne has been caught driving drunk. In fact, it’s not even the first time the State Senator’s been found driving a motorcycle while under the influence.
In 1995, Browne was arrested for a DUI in New Jersey. Four years later, he was charged with drunken driving while on his motorcycle.
The State Senator suffered serious injuries in the crash, including a punctured lung, and is still hospitalized.
Update: Senator Browne has released the following statement:
“I sincerely apologize to my family, colleagues and constituents for the choices that I made last Saturday, and I am extremely grateful that no one else was hurt. I am deeply passionate about my legislative work and humbled to represent the 16th Senatorial District.
“Thank you to the many individuals who have reached out to me since my motorcycle accident last Saturday. I have received outstanding medical care for my physical injuries from the accident and I am currently recuperating in an area physical therapy facility.
“It is no secret that I have battled issues relating to alcohol in the past. Every day requires me to vigilantly control my disease, and I am dedicated to seeking help to regain a solid grasp of my illness.”
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13 Responses
Boscola?
He is a 4 time loser , 3 in Pa and one in NJ. And the stupid voters of the Lehigh Valley keep putting him in.
Anyone else would be in jail
Pat should do what is best for the Caucus and immediately resign. We have to have a steady, competent hand on he wheel for Appropriations negotiations with Costa, Wolf and company. We are blessed with folks who can fill the void.
I hope that as an individual, he gets treatment and gets better. But he has no business continuing in the state Senate. Even alcoholics have sober periods — during which he could have sold his bike and not endangered himself and others. Were he in my district, I would hope that he would resign.
The American Medical Association has recognized alcoholism as a disease for almost 60 years now. If people think it isn’t a disease, it’s likely they don’t understand what a disease is and are applying some kind of lay definition. That’s in no way meant to defend Senator Browne’s actions or make a statement as to whether he should continue in office, but the stigma surrounding alcoholism, like many addictive disorders, often hinders sufferers from seeking appropriate and necessary treatment.
I hope that Senator Browne gets the treatment he needs and then takes a serious look at whether it’s best for him and his constituents to continue in office, soliciting their input directly since his next election is rather far off.
I don’t think DUIs, endangering your own life and the lives of others are qualifications for high public office.
I’ve got to check the Physician’s Desk Reference, but I don’t think there’s any disease diagnosed by the symptom of frequent crashes. Endangering the community you love by putting yourself in a position to hurt them is not part of your disease, it’s part of your arrogance. You are a bad example to children and the honorable thing to do is to resign.
So every 10 years you get caught DUI how many others times is he drinking and driving and does not get caught? It looks like he only hurt himself this time maybe next time he kills an another person. There is no excuse for driving DUI he should be setting an example instead of crashing on our highways.
Go home Observer, you’re drunk.
Observer, since it’s been over ten years since his last DUI, this will be treated as a first time offense. For that reason, jail time is unlikely. I’m sure that, despite not knowing what you’re talking about, you will rant about special treatment.
Evil CORPORATIONS! It’s amazing that jump you made from one alcoholic making a crappy drunken decision to that “conclusion”. Should we all draw conclusions that generalize an entire party based upon Kathleen Kane? Or Barney Frank with under age boys? Or maybe any number of other Democrats that do stupid stuff. Your generalizations are unproductive and anti-intellectual.
And oh yeah – since is the third time for this drunk, shouldn’t he be going to jail for an extended period? Or don’t the DUI laws apply to the Princes of Harrisburg?
There goes yer “Pension Reform” expert. A drunken hog-rider. Republicans HAVE to destroy the public schools, because no one with half an education would think these clowns know anything about anything. All they are is puppets of the big-money, out-of-state corporations, doing what they are told by ALEC.