DA Jim Martin frees drunk driver who hit police car, fled, fought with officers, had prior DUI and careless driving arrest

["Reporter" Manny Gamiz responds. See comments.]

[UpDated 9/25/11] Readers, turns out accused drunk driver/cop car crasher Christopher Nobile had a prior DUI on 2/8/05 and a prior (same date) arrest for careless driving and public drunkenness. Q. Did DA Jim Martin, the cops, or the arraigning judge check for priors prior to bailing out and releasing Chris "Crash" Nobile?

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Possibly thinking (?) that people who live in glass houses shouldn't (hiccup) throw stones, on Saturday night 9/17/11 local police and DA Jim Martin curiously OK'd granting bail to, and releasing, a Lower Macungie Township man who, driving drunk, had crashed into a police car and then drove off with the cops in hot pursuit, at one point driving the wrong way on Route 100 and forcing other cars off the road, and then resisting arrest and fighting with the police officers who eventually captured him.

Chris Nobile, 43, admitted to the roughed-up cops he had been drinking.

He was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude police, drunk driving, simple assault, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, harassment and accidents involving damage to attended vehicle or property.

Nobile was also charged with a number of traffic violations, including careless driving, reckless driving, driving the wrong way, running stop signs, driving without lights to avoid identification or arrest, failing to stop at a red signal and failing to yield for an emergency vehicle.

He was released after posting just $25,000 bail, i.e., only $2,500 of his own money via bail bondsman.

As mentioned above, defendant Christopher Nobile had a prior DUI on 2/8/05 and a prior (same date) arrest for careless driving and public drunkenness.

Q. Would you or I have been granted the same leniency? On our third offense. It's not likely, and LVS is in the process of trying to find out what makes Chris Nobile so special to DA Jim Martin. Not surprisingly, The Morning Call "newspaper" has no interest in finding out-- that's the distinct impression I got after speaking on the telephone w/ Morning Call "reporter" Manny Gamiz.

Read Manny's (helpfully, 3 days late) Morning Call "newspaper" account from 9/20/11: Police: Alleged drunk driver fled after striking police car

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