A state representative in Pennsylvania was allegedly caught driving while intoxicated with alcohol at more than twice the legal limit. The incident took place in Mercer County along Interstate 79 around 9 p.m. in the evening. The police were originally notified when the representative was spotted driving erratically, and the police performed a traffic stop when they saw him change lanes without signaling.

According to the police report, when the trooper approached the representative's vehicle, they noticed a strong odor suspected to be alcohol. They then claimed to have seen an open alcohol container on the back seat upon closer inspection. It's not clear whether the defendant is also being charged with violating open container laws. The representative took a breath test at the scene that reportedly showed a BAC of 0.175. The legal limit in the state is .08 BAC.

If a divorced couple can't reach an agreement, courts in Pennsylvania determine who gets custody of a child based on the "best interests" standard. The judge has the responsibility of determining what will best suit the child's needs. There are a few factors that are taken into consideration when determining the child's best interests.

One of the first things the judge will consider is if the parent requesting custody will be able to meet the child's needs, both physical and emotional. This would include providing medical care, food, clothing and shelter for the child. It would also include providing them with an education and parental guidance. Most judges prefer to keep a child's routine consistent. This includes the child's school routine, their living arrangements and their ability to visit extended family. Judges often try to limit changes as much as possible in order to make the transition easier.

Pennsylvania couples who decide to divorce will have major decisions to make about how to handle the family home. The marital home is often one of the largest and most valuable assets to be included in divorce negotiations, and it can carry emotional significance beyond its financial value. In addition, unlike bank accounts and retirement or investment funds, real estate cannot be easily divided in two. As a result, many people decide to sell the home as part of the divorce.

By selling the marital home, the couple can use the proceeds to pay off any mortgage obligations before dividing the remaining funds as part of the divorce agreement. However, in some cases, one spouse wants to keep the home; this is particularly common when children have grown up in and want to remain in the house. However, there are some practical matters to keep in mind when choosing this option. The remaining spouse will generally need to buy out the other spouse from his or her equity stake. If the couple has significant equity in a high-value home, this can pose a serious challenge.

The statistics may be concerning and surprising to people in Pennsylvania, especially those with veterans in their families, but drunk driving by military veterans has risen 60 percent since 2014 according to the results of one study. The American Addiction Centers reported that binge drinking and drunk driving have both become more common among the veteran population. The study analyzed behavioral data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report noted that binge drinking among veterans rose from 14 percent in 2013 to just under 16 percent in 2017. Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of more than five drinks in two hours for men or four drinks in the same period for women. While drinking itself may be more common, one of the more disturbing trends has been an elevated rate of drunk driving. While 1.6 percent of veterans reported driving drunk in 2014, 2.6 percent reported the same in 2016. Veterans were more likely to drive drunk in Kentucky, California and the District of Columbia.