SUNBURY - A Shamokin man who initially lied to police about an October crash that knocked out power to more than 1,000 people in the Mount Carmel area was sentenced Monday to serve one-year probation.
John May, 34, was ordered by Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage to pay a combined $525 in fines along with additional court costs as part of a plea deal.
May pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor false reports and summary counts of accidents with damage to property and careless driving. Additional charges were withdrawn.
According to police, surveillance footage connected May to an Oct. 8 crash near his place of employment, Arcos Industries, in which his 1993 Jeep Cherokee sheared a utility pole.
May denied having been the driver, at first claiming his vehicle was stolen, police had said.
Upon further prodding by police officers and having been presented with evidence, including a half-gallon of milk found in his vehicle that was purchased by him at a nearby convenience store just before the crash, he confessed to being the driver.
He told police officers that he lied at first in order to save his job, police had said.
May told Sacavage during the sentencing hearing that he remains employed at Arcos.