Former Judge Allegedly Violated Condition of Rehab Program

A former Centre County Judge charged last year with drunk driving could have his participation in a rehab program revoked for consuming alcohol in violation of one of the program’s conditions.

Thomas Kistler was charged in September 2017 with driving under the influence and in January was accepted into a 12-month accelerated rehabilitative disposition program. If completed the program would allow him to expunge the charge from his record.

Kistler retired in December 2017, a decision he announced long before the DUI charge. In August, he filed a petition to end the ARD program early because he planned to apply for status as a senior judge and could not do so with pending criminal charges.

A hearing on the petition was scheduled for Sept. 14 but that same day his attorney filed to withdraw the request.

On Tuesday, according to both ABC 23 and the Centre Daily Times, the Centre County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to revoke Kistler’s ARD program. He allegedly consumed one beer on Sept. 13 at the Red Horse Tavern, violating the ARD program’s prohibition against consuming alcohol.

Kistler reportedly admitted drinking the beer to his probation officer.

Because Kistler was a member of the Centre County judiciary, his case was assigned to Lancaster County Judge Joseph C. Madenspacher.

A hearing has not yet been scheduled on the motion to revoke Kistler’s ARD program.