EBENSBURG —
A Johnstown anesthesiologist with a history of drunken driving offenses was credited Thursday by Judge Timothy Creany with getting intensive treatment for alcoholism, but he still will spend some time in the county prison for his latest DUI arrest.
Dr. Ashok V. Padhiar, 56, expressed remorse for the drunken driving incident, telling the judge, “I feel ashamed, humiliated and humbled. I did something I shouldn’t have.”
Saying that he’s no longer practicing medicine, the doctor added, “I have to pick up the pieces and get my profession back.”
Creany sentenced Padhiar to four months to four years in the county prison, but gave him credit for the 67 days he spent in treatment at Marwood Center, operated by Geisinger Health System.
Under the sentence, Padhiar will serve 53 days in jail and then be released on house arrest with electronic monitoring for 12 months, followed by 32 months probation, the judge said. The defendant was ordered to pay fines and special assessment fees totaling $3,300, plus other court costs.
The judge also said that Padhiar’s driving privileges will be suspended for 18 months by the state and then his vehicle will have to be equipped with a breath-alcohol interlock device for a year.
The judge said that he took into consideration that Padhiar is participating in the Pennsylvania Physicians Help Program, which will monitor him for five years. Creany said he had been advised that Padhiar’s addiction had not interfered with the care provided to patients.
Defense attorney Art McQuillan said Padhiar had taken significant steps in seeking help for his addition. The treatment at Marwood is geared toward medical professionals, he said.
On Padhiar’s release from the center, he had taken part in intensive outpatient rehabilitation through New Visions in Johnstown and attended daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, McQuillan said.
The defendant was arrested Oct. 29 by Johnstown police after he was found unconscious or sleeping in a parked vehicle on Franklin Street.
Police said his blood-alcohol level was 0.26 percent, more than three times the 0.08 percent level defined as intoxication in Pennsylvania.
Although he has a history of alcohol-related convictions, there had been none since 2002 prior to his October arrest, it’s been reported.
This offense apparently is his first in Pennsylvania.
Padhiar moved to Pennsylvania several years ago and had worked at Memorial. A hospital spokesman previously said that he had not provided any services to Memorial patients since June 2, two weeks after The Tribune-Democrat first reported his extensive drunken-driving record.
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Discussion
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