How Does Somebody Get 12 DUIs in Pennsylvania?

Delco’s Mark Perrotta after his July 2023 Pennsylvania DUI arrest (photos courtesy of Prospect Park Police Department)

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How Does Somebody Get 12 DUIs in Pennsylvania?

You’d think that one DUI conviction would be enough to encourage the vast majority of people to not get another DUI. But studies show time and time again: That’s not the case, including with Pennsylvania DUI convictions. And Folsom’s Mark Perrotta, 60, is likely among Pennsylvania’s biggest DUI offenders. According to the Delco DA’s office, Perrotta now has 12 DUI convictions under his belt.

On Tuesday, Perrotta pleaded guilty to driving under the influence. The charge stems from an incident last July in the Prospect Park section of Delaware County. This was no ordinary DUI case. According to prosecutors, Perrotta loudly accosted a woman he didn’t know at a gas station in Prospect Park, then followed her as she drove away. While she was on the phone with 911, she drove into the driveway of the Prospect Park police department. And Perrotta actually followed her. Police promptly arrested him.

Before that, Perrotta’s most recent DUI conviction in Pennsylvania was in June 2021. That was his 11th DUI conviction. But because of the way the law works, with the clock restarting on your DUI count after a period of time has passed, the 2021 DUI conviction was treated as his first. You should know that several of Perrotta’s previous DUI convictions resulted in crashes, including one with serious injuries reported, according to prosecutors.

Prospect Park police chief David Madonna tells me he was incredulous when Perrotta said in the holding cell last July, “It’s not like I hit someone.” “He was shocked that we were arresting him for a DUI because there was no crash!” Madonna remarked.

Perrotta has spent time in jail for DUIs before. And he will most certainly go to jail after he’s sentenced later this year, though it’s unclear for how long. He would also face the suspension or revocation of his driver’s license. But here’s the thing: Prosecutors say he hasn’t had a valid driver’s license in years.

“It blows my mind that at this point in history, people still get DUIs,” Madonna laments. “It’s so easy to not drive under the influence. There are rideshare apps and bars that have programs to make sure people get home safe.”

They can put Perrotta in jail, but not forever. They can prevent him from getting a driver’s license. Officials could also insist that any vehicle at his house be fitted with a device intended to prevent an intoxicated person from driving it. But as Madonna knows all too well, there’s really no way to ensure that an intoxicated Perrotta will never get behind the wheel of a car again.

“Unfortunately, where there’s a will, there’s a way,” says Madonna. “Some people just don’t get it.”

The Great Debate: Top 50 Restaurants

In the February issue of Philly Mag — it’s the one with this wild cover of the $95 tom yum at Kalaya (#2!) — we released our annual list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia. Well, technically, in the Philadelphia area, since there are eight restaurants (but very, very good restaurants!) outside of Philadelphia proper. Whenever we do a Top 50 list, there are lots and lots of questions, which we normally field via emails and DMs. But this year, for the first time ever, we’re going to answer your questions live.

Maybe you want to know how a restaurant all the way out in freaking West Chester lands on a list of the Top 50 Philadelphia restaurants. Maybe you want to know how a tom yum soup can cost $95. Or maybe you want to know why [insert name of your favorite restaurant here] isn’t on the Top 50 list. You can ask. And we will answer.

It all goes down this Friday at noon. You can register — and ask your questions — using this link. Takes a few seconds.

Naturally, the I-95 Horse Makes National News

Usually, when Philadelphia makes the national news, it’s for some horrible tragedy or just something completely absurd. Fortunately, yesterday brought the latter to the national table via the horse that was running wild on I-95. Indeed, Fox News picked it up. So did the New York Post, United Press International, and the U.K.’s Daily Mail, which, of course, promoted the “shocking video.”

The, uh, pinnacle in local coverage of the I-95 horse incident would have to be the “exclusive” interview with “the horse” that Fox 29 is promoting.

Apparently, somebody let the horse out of one of Philly’s riding stables overnight from Sunday into Monday, and the horse did what horses do. And if you’re thinking to yourself, Wasn’t there a movie where somebody unleashed a bunch of wild animals on Philadelphia and then the world almost ended?, the answer is yes: 12 Monkeys. So far, no word from the Philadelphia Zoo as to whether they’ve put extra security on the hippos and pumas.

I haven’t seen anybody hawking I-95 horse t-shirts just yet. But I’m sure they’re coming.

By the Numbers

$11,000: As of Wednesday morning, current bid for a tiny, rare gold Lego piece that was found at a Goodwill store in Pennsylvania. It may be made out of gold, and Lego may have only made a few dozen of them, but they still hurt like hell when you step on them barefoot in the middle of the night. Hurry! Bidding ends tonight.

$317 million: Grant SEPTA just received to modernize the Market-Frankford line. Officials haven’t said how much of that will be spent to fumigate and sanitize the sticky, stinky cars.

$1,000: Fine City Council wants to slap on bars and stores that operate those “skill-based” gambling machines in the city. That’s per machine. Per occurrence. A lot of people, including some of those bar and store owners, think the machines are perfectly legal. The real legal situation surrounding them is far more murky. (I know somebody who has one in his establishment, and he says he clears an average of $3,000 each week on the thing, so it’s understandable why some operators aren’t too keen on City Council’s plan.)

Local Talent

If you were watching Tuesday night’s episode of The Floor (and who wasn’t?), you may have recognized Philadelphia actor Michael Stahler of South Philadelphia on the show. (If you’ve never seen The Floor, an impossibly youthful Rob Lowe hosts, and it’s a head-to-head trivia contest with contestants battling it out for $20,000 in each episode, with a grand prize of $250,000 at the end of the season.)

Philadelphia actor Michael Stahler in his professional headshot (photo courtesy of Michael Stahler)

Naturally, Stahler was hoping to be $20,000 richer at the end of Tuesday night. Alas, another contestant knocked him out in the topic of “World Flags.” I’m guessing he’ll never forget the flags of Chile, Cuba and Ireland again.

Stahler wasn’t able to have a watch party on Tuesday, because he’s in rehearsal for Azuka Theatre Company’s Overwinter, in which he stars. Overwinter opens on February 29th.

And from the Whoop-Doop! Sports Desk …

The Philadelphia Union had a CONCACAF Champions League match last night against Deportiva Saprissa in San Jose, and the only local broadcast was in Spanish. Okay, then. I mean, muy bueno! The other guys scored first, 27 minutes in, when goalie Andre Blake jumped and simply missed a deflection by teammate Jakob Glesnes. A few minutes later, shoving broke out on a Union corner, and a flurry of yellow cards following a foul called on Julián Carranza teed up him, José Martinez, and a Saprissa player. Carranza’s indignation paid off in the second half when he scored on a lovely header 54 minutes in.

King Julian ties it all up off a perfect serve from Kai! 🤩
pic.twitter.com/i8DeGoR83G

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) February 21, 2024

And damn if he didn’t score again 20 minutes later! (With his foot this time.)

Carranza with the brace and we take the lead in the 75th 👑 pic.twitter.com/bJDAQHOSVY

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) February 21, 2024

And another one at 78!

HAT TRICK HERO 👑👑👑#DOOP pic.twitter.com/fJRY8y9O2E

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) February 21, 2024

An unbelievable night for the native of Argentina. That’s what you get for slapping him with that yellow. Saprissa just missed on a shot in the 87th, then managed to land one two minutes later. The refs put up five minutes of stoppage, and that’s when things got frantic. Saprissa sent a bullet shot just over the crossbar, much scuffling ensued, and the Union held on for the 3-2 victory. Doop!

In other news, former Sixer and current New Orleans Pelicans coach Willie Green is, ESPN reports, one of the few NBA coaches who can still dunk a basketball.

Any College Hoops News?

Butler paid a visit to Villanova last night, and though the Bulldogs had the early momentum, Villanova surged to lead 44-35 at the half, then hung on to outscore their opponent in the second half — albeit barely —for the 72-62 home win. That’s three in a row for the Wildcats; Eric Dixon led all comers with 22 points. On tonight’s card, we’ve got George Washington at St. Joe’s and St. Bonaventure at La Salle, both starting at 7 p.m.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.