Lock Haven man with 14 convictions sent to state prison
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Garret Duane Musselman, 37, of N. Grove Street, Lock Haven, was sentenced and re-sentenced Tuesday to a maximum of 60 months in a state correctional facility, with parole eligibility after two years, on seven separate criminal cases filed in Clinton County.
Musselman had previously been placed in the Clinton County Veterans Court program in 2022 after he was charged with five separate instances of him driving while DUI suspended from 2021 through 2022, and one count of retail theft from Lowes in 2022. Shortly after being accepted in the special supervision program provided through the Clinton County Veterans Court, Musselman was arrested after he was observed driving a car in the vicinity of the Clinton County Courthouse by Clinton County Deputy Sheriff Adam Ross later in 2022.
As a result of the new arrest, Musselman was revoked from the Veterans Court Program and scheduled for re-sentencing on all of the cases, as well as sentencing on the new offense. President Judge Craig P. Miller imposed the sentences on Tuesday morning. Lock Haven attorney Patrick Johnson argued on behalf of Musselman and asked Miller to impose concurrent sentences on all seven cases, citing Musselman’s lack of a violent history and military service as mitigating factors. Johnson also described the criminal offenses as being minor, and not worthy of lengthy prison time.
Musselman told the Court that he was a changed man, and he had learned from his mistakes. He asked the Court to let him go home and show the Court he could be a productive member of society.
District Attorney Dave Strouse called Musselman a “serial offender” and outlined that each of the Driving while DUI suspended offenses were “repeat offender” crimes, which meant each one carried increased mandatory penalties including a 6-month jail sentence and a $2,500 fine. Strouse argued that Musselman had proven by his own actions, over and over again, that he refuses to follow the law and continues to drive while being unlicensed and uninsured. Strouse asked the Court to impose a sentence that eliminated Musselman from the community for a long period of time – and requested consecutive sentences in the seven cases for an aggregate term of 108 months, with parole eligibility after four ana a half years. Strouse told the Court, “It simply does not matter what you do to him Judge, he will just continue to commit these crimes. He has proven that to you.” Strouse also mentioned that Musselman tried to flee the Clinton County Adult Probation Department when he was apprehended on his new charges and had previously attempted to evade apprehension on a bench warrant when he hid from Sheriff’s Deputies inside a woman’s residence in 2022. Clinton County Probation also outlined that Musselman’s drivers license is now suspended through 2042 as a result of five prior DUI convictions and the 14 convictions for driving while DUI suspended.
President Judge Miller alluded that the Commonwealth’s requested sentence was excessively punitive and explained that the Court also needed to consider the rehabilitative needs of Musselman. Miller then imposed the 60-month maximum sentence, with four of the six Driving under DUI Suspension – 3rd or subsequent offense (M3) sentences concurrently. Musselman was committed to SCI -Camp Hill to serve his sentence. He will owe more than $15,000 in fines as a result of his most recent convictions.
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://clinton.crimewatchpa.com/da/133000/post/lock-haven-man-14-convictions-driving-while-dui-suspended-sent-state-prison
