LEBANON, Pa. - A man who lost his driving privileges after his doctor reported to police that he drank a six-pack of beer a day is taking his fight to a higher court.
Keith Emerich, 44, asked Commonwealth Court to overturn the state Department of Transportation's decision to revoke his license.
A Lebanon County Common Pleas judge upheld the decision, but ruled that Emerich may obtain restricted driving privileges as long as he uses a device that tests his blood-alcohol content before starting his car.
Emerich, 44, a printing company employee, was notified in April he would lose his license, about two months after he disclosed his drinking habit to doctors treating him for an irregular heartbeat.
A Pennsylvania law from the 1960s requires doctors to report any impairments in patients that could compromise their ability to drive safely.
Emerich has said he does not drive drunk and argued that he has reduced his beer drinking to weekends and has a clean driving record apart from a drunk-driving conviction when he was 21.
I had previously posted about this man here.
To sum this situation up, Mr. Emerich went into his doctor concerning an irregular heartbeat. During the course of his treatment he admitted to his doctor that he was a heavy drinker, consuming a six pack per day. His doctor reported the drinking to the Pennsylvania DOT which responded by revoking Emerich's driving license.
Mr. Emerich's driving record has been clear of any major infractions for 23 years, yet for some reason his personal health choices are allowed to effect his right to drive.
I ask you, why are we trying to take this man's driving privileges away in a country where politicians are trying to give driver licenses to illegal aliens? Mr. Emerich has committed no crime, yet he is being punished by his government.
This is a travesty.