A Pennsylvania judge sentenced William Strogish, 68, to a maximum of 11 years in prison following his twelfth DUI conviction, according to a district attorney’s office.
The judge sentenced the man to five-and-a-half to 11 years behind bars in connection with a 2023 vehicular accident that left three motorcyclists with injuries, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities charged Strogish in November 2023 with DUI and causing a July 2023 accident on Laurel Mountain. His SUV swerved onto the opposing side of the street, striking four motorcyclists driving in the other direction, the DA’s office said. (RELATED: Police Find Ungodly Number Of Beer Cans In DUI Arrest, Post It Publicly As Warning)
He allegedly struck the three victims approximately half a mile apart from each other, TribLive reported. Witnesses claimed Strogish got into the second wreck as he was attempting to flee. Police alleged that his speech was slurred, his eyes bloodshot and he dropped a beer can on the ground as he exited his vehicle.
The victims suffered severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries, and some face permanent, lifelong disabilities, according to the DA’s office.
His blood alcohol content level was 0.08% when officers apprehended him approximately 90 minutes after the incident, a level considered intoxication under Pennsylvania state law, according to court documents obtained by TribLive. Prosecutors said he had 11 prior DUI convictions as far back as 1992.
Authorities said Strogish has lacked a valid driver’s license since 1976 and had been designated as a habitual offender before.