...On Wednesday, he was arraigned on charges stemming from a domestic assault incident because of an argument that turned physical...February 12, 2008
A Forks Township police officer suspended last year after he was charged with driving drunk at more than 120 mph on Interstate 80 has resigned... Police Chief Greg Dorney announced the resignation of Ernest D. Fimiano Jr... Fimiano submitted his resignation letter Friday and it was effective immediately... "I think there is a great deal of relief," supervisors Chairman C. David Howell said Monday. Fimiano had been suspended without pay since Oct. 15...
OLDER:
FOUR COUNTY CHASE AT 126 MPH
October 31, 2007
The township police officer who was charged with drunken driving earlier this month led Pennsylvania State police on a 126 mph chase lasting nearly 40 miles before being arrested... he was clocked at 126 mph in a 65 mph zone... Officials say three state police cruisers chased Fimiano through Union, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia counties before one pulled the off-duty officer over... A preliminary breath test indicated Fimiano's blood alcohol content was 0.136 percent, Stroup said. Fimiano also exhibited signs of intoxication during field sobriety tests... Fimiano was originally charged with general impairment, a DUI grading that does not include a mandatory license suspension for the first offense. "We certainly don't condone our officers being arrested for DUI," Police Chief Greg Dorney said. Dorney said he will conduct an internal investigation of the incident and will present his findings to the board of supervisors for disciplinary action. Dorney declined to discuss further details of Fiminao's arrest citing personnel issues.
ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
January 10, 2008
The problems for suspended Forks Township police officer Ernest Fimiano Jr. continue to mount. On Wednesday, he was arraigned on charges stemming from a domestic assault incident because of an argument that turned physical, according to court records. He's charged with pushing Patricia Reilly, with whom he was intimately involved, into a wall... "He is mentally, verbally and physically abusive," Reilly wrote in the protection-from-abuse order. The PFA required Fimiano to surrender his personal Smith and Wesson pistol to the Northampton County Sheriff's Department. "He turned it over to a third party, which he has the right to do," said Northampton County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Tom Marchetti, adding the weapon surrendered Dec. 26. Fimiano's service weapon, keys, badge and identification were confiscated Oct. 15 when he was initially suspended.
UPDATE: Judge rescinds former Forks Township cop Ernest Fimiano's acceptance into first offender program
ReplyDeleteNorthampton County News
by Sarah Cassi
Wednesday October 01, 2008, 10:28 AM
For a few brief hours this morning Ernest Fimiano thought he would be allowed to clear his record of misdemeanor assault charges through a county program for first offenders.
And then Judge Paula A. Roscioli learned Fimiano, 44, is a former cop who has pending drunken driving charges in Columbia County.
That's when Roscioli vacated her order allowing Fimiano into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program and directed the district attorney's office to review Fimiano's ARD application.
Patricia Reilly alleged that Fimiano of Easton pushed her into a wall on Christmas Eve and had been verbally, mentally and physically abusive during their relationship, court papers say. Reilly asked for and received a protection-from-abuse order against Fimiano.
Fimiano has applied for Columbia's ARD program for drunken, careless and reckless driving charges and is slated to have a hearing at the end of the month.
State police allege Fimiano led them on a 30-mile chase at speeds up to 126 mph last October. When stopped in Columbia County, Fimiano said told police that he didn't see them following him. An initial breath test revealed his blood-alcohol level was 0.136.
Fimiano was suspended from the Forks Township police department, but resigned in February
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/northampton-county/index.ssf/2008/10/former_forks_cop_facing_assaul.html
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ARD for ex-Forks cop charged with driving drunk
Ernest Fimiano led chase on I-80, reaching 120 mph.
The Morning Call
By Joe McDonald
October 31, 2008
A former Forks Township police officer charged with drunken driving at more than 120 mph on Interstate 80 was placed in a probationary program for first-time offenders Thursday in Columbia County.
Judge Thomas A. James Jr. accepted Ernest D. Fimiano Jr., 44, into the state's accelerated rehabilitative disposition, a move that allows him to avoid a criminal record.
Fimiano joined Forks police as a part-time officer in 1999.
If he successfully completes the ARD program, the drunken driving case will be dismissed.
He was placed on one-year supervision and had his driver's license suspended for one year because he refused to submit to a blood-alcohol test when state police pulled him over. He was also ordered to take a safe driving class.
Fimiano's lawyer, Gregorio W. Paglianite of Easton, said Fimiano is trying to pull his life together.
''Everything bad has happened to this kid,'' Paglianite said, acknowledging that the ex-officers' problems were ''self-inflicted.''
''This guy has been getting hammered in the press,'' he said Thursday evening.
The Columbia County prosecutors could not be reached for comment.
In October 2007, Fimiano, was charged with drunken driving after he allegedly led state troopers on a 40-mile chase east on I-80 through Union, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia counties. He was also charged with speeding, careless driving and reckless driving.
In court papers, Fimiano said he had been drinking that day at a Penn State football game.
Fimiano, who was off duty, said he was with three other ''adults'' who were not identified and after the game they all got in his car as he began looking for the motel where he had reserved a room.
Fimiano said in court papers he couldn't find the motel, so he decided to drive home.
In February, Fimiano resigned from the Forks force. The resignation came a month after he was charged with assaulting his girlfriend.
In October Fimiano tried to enter the ARD program for the assault charges in that case. But Judge Paula Roscioli tossed the application after learning of Fimiano's problems in Columbia County and sent the matter back to the Northampton County district attorney's office for further review.
joe.mcdonald@mcall.com
610-559-2152
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b3_3fimiano.6653535oct31,0,7028457.story
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Ex-officer gets 1-year probation
Ernest Fimiano Jr. must do community service, take safe driving course after leading chase.
The Press Enterprise
Leon Bogdan
Friday, October 31, 2008
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. | A former Forks Township police officer charged with driving while drunk and speeding was placed on probation Thursday as a first-time offender.
Ernest Fimiano Jr., 44, will spend a year on supervision, during which he must complete a safe driving class and community service hours under Columbia County's accelerated rehabilitative disposition program.
He led police on a 30-mile chase at speeds up to 126 mph, police said.
If he completes the program, his criminal record will be wiped clean.
Fimiano, of Palmer Township, also faces a driving suspension of one year for refusing to submit to a blood test to determine his degree of intoxication when stopped by state police shortly after 2 a.m. Oct. 14, 2007.
In his application for the program, Fimiano said he refused to submit to the blood test because he was "very upset."
He wrote he was drinking while off duty at a Penn State football game that weekend but felt he was sober enough to drive.
Fimiano decided to return home with three friends from the Penn State game after he couldn't find the hotel where he had reserved a room, according to his version of what happened.
Fimiano claimed he didn't know the police had clocked him on radar, and the first time he saw a marked police car is when he got stopped at the Mifflinville exit of I-80, according to his application under the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program, or ARD.
Fimiano resigned as a patrolman in February after he was suspended following another arrest in an alleged domestic assault involving a girlfriend on Christmas Eve.
Court records say he pushed Patricia Reilly into a wall and she later obtained a protective court order against him, claiming he had been mentally and physically abusive during their relationship.
Charges are pending in that incident.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1225425968210560.xml&coll=3
Ex-officer gets 1-year probation
ReplyDeleteErnest Fimiano Jr. must do community service, take safe driving course after leading chase.
The Press Enterprise
Leon Bogdan
Friday, October 31, 2008
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - A former Forks Township police officer charged with driving while drunk and speeding was placed on probation Thursday as a first-time offender.
Ernest Fimiano Jr., 44, will spend a year on supervision, during which he must complete a safe driving class and community service hours under Columbia County's accelerated rehabilitative disposition program.
He led police on a 30-mile chase at speeds up to 126 mph, police said.
If he completes the program, his criminal record will be wiped clean.
Fimiano, of Palmer Township, also faces a driving suspension of one year for refusing to submit to a blood test to determine his degree of intoxication when stopped by state police shortly after 2 a.m. Oct. 14, 2007.
In his application for the program, Fimiano said he refused to submit to the blood test because he was "very upset."
He wrote he was drinking while off duty at a Penn State football game that weekend but felt he was sober enough to drive.
Fimiano decided to return home with three friends from the Penn State game after he couldn't find the hotel where he had reserved a room, according to his version of what happened.
Fimiano claimed he didn't know the police had clocked him on radar, and the first time he saw a marked police car is when he got stopped at the Mifflinville exit of I-80, according to his application under the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program, or ARD.
Fimiano resigned as a patrolman in February after he was suspended following another arrest in an alleged domestic assault involving a girlfriend on Christmas Eve.
Court records say he pushed Patricia Reilly into a wall and she later obtained a protective court order against him, claiming he had been mentally and physically abusive during their relationship.
Charges are pending in that incident.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1225425968210560.xml&coll=3