Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania law banning handheld devices while driving takes effect in June
If you’re traveling this Memorial Day weekend, Pennsylvania State Police and AAA want drivers to practice following a new rule of the road that takes effect soon.
Paul Miller’s Law in Pennsylvania
A new law called Paul Miller’s Law is putting the brakes on a bad habit. Starting June 5, it’ll be illegal to use your cellphone and other electronics while driving.
“No body part can maintain that phone. So, it’s not just holding it. I know a lot of drivers put their phone on their lap, and that’s going to be illegal here in a couple weeks,” said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Rocco Gagliardi.
“You are still not allowed to pull up that device at a red light, stuck in traffic. That law is very lengthy and real specific,” Gagliardi said.
“If you want to make that phone call, if you want to be on that phone, you want to play your mobile app, whatever it is, pull off into a parking lot, on a shoulder of the road, you can put your hazards on,” he added.
Trooper Gagliardi said if you have your phone mounted in your car, you are allowed to accept the call with one push of a button.
Texting while driving is already illegal in Pennsylvania.
What is Paul Miller’s Law?
The law is named after Paul Miller Jr., who was killed in a crash in Monroe County after a tractor-trailer driver reached for their phone while driving.
Drivers KDKA spoke with in Pittsburgh on Friday said they’re on board with the law.
“You can’t see the road and your phone at the same time,” said Kimari Coker.
“I’ve almost gotten into an accident because people aren’t paying attention on the road and they’re on their phones,” said Terry Thomas.
“It’ll encourage more safety within the community and make sure everyone’s being held responsible for their actions,” said Jack Forsythe.
The state police and AAA have spent a lot of time educating people about the dangers of distracted driving and the new rules.
“You take your eyes off the road for a couple of seconds, it’s like driving the length of a football field with a blindfold on,” said Jim Garrity, director of public affairs of AAA East Central.
Now it’s time for enforcement.
“If someone is using a GPS and they don’t have a holder to place it,” said Jasmine Harrington, “how are they going to know if it’s in your hand?”
For the first year, the penalty is a written warning. Then, starting June 5, 2026, it’s a summary offense with a $50 fine, as well as court costs and other fees.
“We’re going to be looking for it, and we’re going to have to take that enforcement action,” Trooper Gagliardi said.
There is an exception in the law. Drivers are allowed to use their phones in an emergency to call law enforcement or other emergency services.
A Chester County, Pennsylvania, man is back home with his family after spending more than eight months in ICE detention.
Supporters of Carlos Della Valle spent months rallying and writing letters to immigration officials, urging them to release him. Now the Downingtown resident is sharing what it feels like to finally be home and why uncertainty still hangs over his future.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Carlos Della Valle said about being home. “You know, it’s so many months and it just didn’t seem like it was going to happen.”
Supporters lined the street outside his Downingtown home on Wednesday, cheering as he returned from a detention center in Louisiana. The 49-year-old said it still feels surreal to be back in Chester County after 258 days in ICE custody.
Della Valle, whose wife and son are U.S. citizens, has lived in Chester County for nearly 30 years. He said he came to the United States from Guerrero, Mexico, at age 20 after fleeing cartel violence.
“I was afraid for my life,” he said.
At age 21, Della Valle said, he was detained and sent back to the Mexican border, but he was never formally deported.
During a trial in August 2025, a jury acquitted him of illegally re-entering the country. Despite the verdict, he was taken into ICE custody because he does not have legal status in the United States.
Carlos Della Valle was released from ICE custody last week but said he still worries about what comes next.
“They tried to deport me twice, so what’s to stop that from happening again?” he said.
Carlos Della Valle said he now has weekly check-ins with ICE and is working with an attorney to get a work permit so he can return to his job as a plant manager at a small adhesive company.
His wife, Angela Della Valle, said the family’s experience pushed her to become more involved in immigration reform efforts.
“The Dignity Act that’s been authored by Congresswoman Maria Salazar is a very, very powerful piece of legislation,” Angela Della Valle said. “It would allow Carlos to stay since he’s linked to a U.S. citizen wife. It would allow him to work.”
For now, Angela Della Valle said she’s focused on appreciating the moments they missed during his time in detention.
“It’s amazing being together again and even more powerful to be able to come back together home,” Angela Della Valle said.
Since returning home, Carlos Della Valle said he has been reconnecting with friends and recently attended a Phillies game with his family.
“We loved being there,” he said.
Central Presbyterian Church in Downingtown is hosting a “Welcome Home Carlos” open house Saturday night to celebrate Carlos Della Valle’s release.
When 32-year-old Beth Dudley, a mom of two, walked into a convenience store in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, last month, she was stressed out about her flat tire.
Now, after winning $1 million from a scratch-off ticket, not only is Dudley getting a new tire, but she’s thinking about getting an entirely new car.
The Pennsylvania Lottery celebrated Dudley on Friday ahead of Mother’s Day, presenting her with a commemorative $1 million check.
Luck didn’t seem to be on Dudley’s side when she visited the Crabtree Gas and Go on Roosevelt Way in April. But she said she decided to treat herself to a lottery ticket anyway.
“I thought, ‘What’s it going to hurt?’” Dudley said. “I play occasionally. Before I won, my brother said, ‘You’re going to get the tire changed and your whole world will turn around.’”
And turn around it did. Dudley scratched the ticket and learned that she had won $1 million.
“I thought, ‘Am I seeing this right?’ Then I just started to cry,” said Dudley.
She said she was crying so much that when she called her mom, her mom thought something was wrong. She called her husband next, and she said he didn’t quite believe her at first.
Now she plans on buying a new car and investing the rest of her winnings. One thing’s for sure: she’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day this year with a little more money in the bank.
“It’s great to see a hardworking mom who juggles so much have some luck come her way,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne said.
Former Somerset County 911 director Bradley Lavan has been sentenced to as long as 120 years behind bars for sex crimes he committed against five children.
Late last year, Bradley Lavan pleaded guilty late last year to dozens of charges stemming from a 2023 arrest where police alleged he sexually abused five young children.
Lavan was ordered Thursday to serve 60 to 120 years in state prison, a sentence that Somerset County District Attorney Tom Leiden called “appropriate,” citing the seriousness of the crimes he committed.
“Today, justice was served,” Leiden said, adding that “the sentence should assure that Mr. Lavan is never able to prey on innocent children again.”
At the time of his arrest, then District Attorney Molly Metzgar said that it was alleged that Lavan groomed children in ages from 3 to 6 years old and forced them into performing various sex acts on him while they were in his home.
Police at the time said that Lavan’s time as the 911 director in Somerset County ended before he was arrested and the charges and his work with the county weren’t connected.
“This successful prosecution and sentence are the result of the District Attorney’s Office’s commitment to seeking justice for victims and for protecting the children of Somerset County,” Leiden said. “We will continue to work tirelessly to make Somerset County a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”
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