William C. Strogish, the Washington County man with a harrowing history of driving under the influence, has once again entered a guilty plea, this time for a DUI incident leading to his 12th conviction. This latest conviction comes on the heels of a 2023 DUI crash in Ligonier Township that left three motorcycle riders severely injured, TribLIVE reported.
The 68-year-old Strogish seems tragically tied to a past that repeats itself without relief, his driver’s license invalid since 1976, and labeled a "habitual offender," according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office. According to CBS News Pittsburgh, on the day of the crash, Strogish drove an SUV across the dividing line on Laurel Mountain, striking the rider head-on. Following the crash, the Washington County man now faces up to 20 years in prison.
Details of the accident paint a grim picture: as Strogish received medical attention from first responders, a beer can tumbled from the driver's side floorboard, police witnessed. Beyond this, court documents cited by TribLIVE indicate he had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and was caught with a beer can as he exited the SUV.
After being tested 90 minutes post-crash, Strogish's blood alcohol content was the precise legal limit of intoxication in Pennsylvania: 0.08%. His long string of DUI convictions dates back to 1992 in Washington and Greene counties, and his guilty plea solidifies his notoriety as a recurrent menace on the roads. Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio ordered Strogish to remain in custody pending sentencing, his appearance for which will be via video, as he has decided to waive his right to be physically present in court, according to TribLIVE.
