BANGOR, Maine — A Bar Harbor musician has been sentenced to serve 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to charges related to a drunken driving incident in which the car he was driving struck 18 granite coping stones in Acadia National Park.
John M. Tercyak, 56, of Bar Harbor, pleaded guilty last week in federal court in Bangor to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and operating a motor vehicle in violation of a condition or restriction of his driver’s license.
Tercyak faced a maximum jail time of six months, a fine up to $5,000 and up to five years of probation, but as part of the plea agreement the prosecution agreed to seek no more than 60 days’ incarceration and $1,000 in fines.
Tercyak, in return, agreed to repay Acadia National Park the $1,369 it cost to repair the 18 coping stones damaged in the April 22 incident on Park Loop Road.
According to information posted on the U.S. District Court website, Tercyak was sentenced Tuesday by Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk to serve 30 days in jail and to pay fines totaling $1,000. He is due to report to jail to start serving his sentence on Feb. 4, 2013, and will have to serve six months’ probation upon his release.
The day of the accident, after receiving several reports from witnesses, a park ranger saw that Tercyak’s vehicle had gone off the right side of the pavement, traveled about 180 feet and struck 18 granite coping stones, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court.
Tercyak had “significantly damaged the front end, the right side, the rear, both axles and both right side wheels of his vehicle,” wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney James McCarthy.
The speed limit on Park Loop Road is 25 mph, but Tercyak told rangers he’d been traveling more than 50 mph when he looked over his left shoulder toward Sand Beach just before the accident.
“Mr. Tercyak told Ranger [David] Smith that he had a couple of beers before driving the car,” McCarthy wrote.
That night at the Bar Harbor Police Department, a breath test indicated that Tercyak had a blood-alcohol content of 0.13 percent. That figure exceeds the 0.08 limit for operating a motor vehicle, but Tercyak was operating under a conditional license that he not have any alcohol in his system while driving.
According to Tercyak’s website, the guitarist and fiddler has more than 25 years of performing experience and a repertoire of more than 700 songs.
Follow BDN reporter Bill Trotter on Twitter at @billtrotter.
And, he was known for singing children’s songs!
Beautiful loser, never take it all
‘Cause it’s easier, faster when you fall,
You just don’t need it all
Oh, oh, … You just don’t need it all.
Maine is full of alcoholics and druggies. It’s a trashy state with judges who have very little backbone. This judge should be commended for giving at least some time to the criminal. If this had been a Kennebec County judge, the guy would have already been on his second or third DUI.
“operating under a conditional license that he not have any alcohol in his system while driving.” Was certainly not his first brush with an alcohol related incident.
Full of alcoholics and druggies ? and a trashy state ? Have you ever been anywhere else and looked around. What a loser comment.
Federal judges are tougher, at least in Maine.
The speed limit on Park Loop Road varies. Only short stretches are 25 mph.
Whats your point, he was going 50.
I hope he was found guilty for wearing that sweatshirt.
I wonder if he drinks because he suffers from some kind of arrested developement. Most guys his age, with his repertoire, are playing strats with 50 amp amplifiers– shoot’in up the hard stuff– or in rehab. Maybe this will be a boost for his career. Better late then never.
Not a Strat-n-a-hat type. John spent many years studying classical music at Berklee, and his performance style reflects that.
Glad to here that, Berklee turns out some fine fusion musicians. I will make an effort to see him this winter….Thanks for the tip.