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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The Tyrone police officer who crashed a vehicle in November on Old Sixth Avenue Road will address his DUI charge by entering Blair County's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.
Otto "Gil" Barton II, 42, Tyrone, was one of several people accepted Tuesday into the program that generally lasts about a year and provides successful participants with the option of having their charges expunged.
Judge Fred B. Miller, who handed down the order placing Barton in ARD, told Barton that the county parole and probation office will be supervising his compliance with ARD, which include completion of a highway safety class, a drug and alcohol assessment, a victim impact class and 25 hours of community service.
The ARD program also forbids Barton from consuming or possessing alcohol and from being in the presence of someone consuming alcohol and/or drugs.
It also requires Barton to relinquish his driver's license for 60 days or a time period designated by
PennDOT.
Barton said little in court other than to confirm his intention to enter the ARD program. In December, Tyrone leaders acknowledged that the officer had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his DUI charges.
Outside court Tuesday, defense attorney Thomas M. Dickey said his client, by entering the ARD program, is taking responsibility for his actions.
"He's got no special treatment and he didn't ask for any special treatment," Dickey said. "He's human, and he did something definitely out of character for him."
State police at Hollidaysburg charged Barton with DUI -- first offense -- after being dispatched about 8:10 p.m. Nov. 24 to Old Sixth Avenue Road, near Bickel's Surplus, for a one-vehicle crash.
Police found Barton standing outside his truck that was in a ditch.
While Barton initially reported swerving to miss a deer, police said he also admitted to having consumed three or four beers. In support of the DUI charge, police said Barton's eyes were glassy, his speech was thick and slurred and he failed a field sobriety test.
A subsequent test showed Barton's blood alcohol content was 0.256%, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08%.
As part of admitting Barton into the ARD program, Miller also cautioned that violations of the program's rules will put him at risk of being removed and the DUI charges being reinstated.
The judge also said that if Barton finishes the ARD program requirements in less than 12 months, he can ask for early termination of his participation.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay
Stephens is at 814-946-7456.