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While allegedly under the influence of some kind of drug, Vincent Sarnowski, driving a 1997 Acura, pulled into the Enterprise Rent-A-Car lot at 1960 E. Third St. about 8:45 a.m. Thursday, according to a state police affidavit. "He knocked on a window (to the building), walked toward East Third Street and began shushing cars by putting his finger to his mouth in a shushing manner. He then got back in his car and started driving erratically in the lot, almost striking parked rental vehicles while throwing his hands around in the car through the open sunroof," police said witnesses told them.
Sarnowski, 45, of 828 Grove St., then pulled out of the lot and headed west on East Third Street. About 45 minutes later, a state trooper was dispatched to the 700 block of Washington Boulevard in the city for "a suspicious person" who, as it turned out, was the same individual whose bizarre behavior was seen at the car-rental business, police said. Sarnowski, standing next to his Acura, gave his name and date of birth, and claimed he was not driving, police said. Identified in an affidavit as "a suspected LSD user," Sarnowski "showed multiple indicators of impairment" during field sobriety and other tests, police said. He was taken into custody and he submitted a blood sample, but test results were not yet available, police said. It was alleged in court papers that he was "under the influence of a drug or combination of drugs to a degree that it impaired his ability to drive safely." He had, in his possession, a small amount of marijuana, police said.
Hours later, Sarnowski was arraigned before District Judge Gary Whiteman on charges of DUI, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license and one other summary offense. During the proceedings in Whiteman's hearing room, Sarnowski became irate, stood up and flipped a table, according to the judge. Two troopers standing next to him immediately grabbed Sarnowski and took him to the floor. He was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
This was the second time in six weeks that state troopers had to take control of a defendant in Whiteman's hearing room during -- or immediately following -- an arraignment. On the morning of June 6, shortly after the judge ordered 32-year-old handcuffed Mark Kuntz to jail in lieu of bail, the defendant stood up and took a step forward. Two troopers grabbed him and there was a brief scuffle in which Kuntz and one of the troopers crashed into the wall, putting a sizable hole in it. Kuntz was quickly subdued and taken to the prison. Whiteman had stepped out of the room to handle another matter and did not witness the confrontation.