Kim Townsend served time in 2011 for DUI with a BAC over twice the legal limit while transporting children; now faces new charges after resisting arrest at Tannersville shopping center

TANNERSVILLE, PA — A Bucks County woman arrested for drunk driving at the Pocono Premium Outlets last week was previously convicted of driving a school vehicle while intoxicated with children inside, court records show.

Kimberly A. Townsend, 59, of Trevose, was taken into custody December 12 after a Pocono Township police officer found her behind the wheel following a report of a reckless driver entering the outlet mall. She now faces charges of DUI and resisting arrest.

But this isn’t Townsend’s first drunk driving case — and the last one was far worse.

A Pocono Review review of Bucks County court records reveals that in 2011, Townsend pleaded guilty to driving a school vehicle with a blood alcohol content more than double the legal limit while children were passengers. She was convicted of DUI at the highest rate of impairment, endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person. She served time in county jail.

Fourteen years later, she’s facing DUI charges again.

The 2011 School Vehicle Case

On June 15, 2011, Bensalem Township police arrested Townsend — then 45 years old — for driving a school vehicle while drunk. Her blood alcohol content registered above .16%, more than twice Pennsylvania’s .08% legal limit.

The charges tell the story of what happened that day:

• DUI: School Vehicle (BAC .02+) — Pennsylvania law sets a near-zero tolerance standard for anyone operating a school bus or school vehicle
• DUI: Highest Rate of Alcohol (BAC .16+) — The most serious DUI tier under state law
• Endangering Welfare of Children — A first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to five years in prison
• Recklessly Endangering Another Person — A second-degree misdemeanor

Townsend posted $15,000 cash bail — 10% of a $150,000 monetary bond — the day after her arrest. Her father, Karl S. Townsend, put up the money.

Four months later, on October 26, 2011, Townsend appeared before Bucks County Judge C. Theodore Fritsch Jr. and pleaded guilty to all charges.

The Sentence

Judge Fritsch sentenced Townsend to 2 to 6 months confinement on the high-BAC DUI charge, with parole eligibility at the minimum. He imposed a concurrent sentence of 4 to 23 months on the child endangerment charge — meaning she faced up to nearly two years behind bars.

The court also ordered:

• $1,000 fine
• Surrender of her driver’s license
• Drug and alcohol evaluation
• Treatment as recommended by a certified evaluator

Court records show Townsend filed a petition for house arrest in November 2011. A hearing was held in December. She was released on county parole in early 2012.

By April 2012, she had paid off the $2,751.66 in fines and court costs. The case was closed.

The Tannersville Arrest

Fast forward 14 years.

On December 12, 2025, at 12:14 p.m., a Pocono Township police officer was dispatched to the Pocono Premium Outlets on Route 611 in Tannersville for a report of a reckless driver. The caller said the vehicle had been seen entering the shopping center.

Officer Raymond G. Kuehner Jr. located the vehicle parked in a parking spot, still occupied. Behind the wheel was Townsend, now 59, living in Trevose — a community in Bensalem Township, the same municipality where she was arrested in 2011.

According to the criminal complaint, the officer initiated a DUI investigation and determined Townsend was under the influence of alcohol. When he attempted to take her into custody, she resisted.

Townsend was charged with:

• DUI: General Impairment — listed as a first offense under the current charging document, though her 2011 conviction would likely enhance any sentence if she’s convicted again
• Resisting Arrest — A second-degree misdemeanor carrying up to two years in prison

Charges were filed today before Magisterial District Judge Daniel Kresge. Townsend was issued a summons and released. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Prior Offense Enhancement

Under Pennsylvania’s DUI sentencing guidelines, prior convictions within the past 10 years can significantly increase penalties. Townsend’s 2011 conviction falls outside that window — it occurred more than 14 years ago — which may explain why the current charge is listed as a first offense.

However, judges retain discretion at sentencing to consider a defendant’s full criminal history, regardless of the lookback period. The fact that her prior DUI involved a school vehicle and child endangerment could factor into any plea negotiations or sentencing decision.

If convicted on the current charges, Townsend faces up to two years on the resisting arrest charge alone. DUI penalties for a first offense with general impairment include up to six months probation and a $300 fine, though enhanced penalties apply if the case is treated as a subsequent offense.

A Pattern Exposed

The court records paint a troubling picture: a woman who was caught driving drunk with children in a school vehicle, served time, and is now accused of drunk driving again — this time resisting when an officer tried to arrest her.

The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting. Townsend has requested a public defender.

---

CASE REFERENCE

Defendant: Kimberly A. Townsend, 59 DOB: April 26, 1966 Residence: Trevose, PA 19053 (Bensalem Township, Bucks County) Physical Description: White female, 5’6″, 145 lbs, brown hair, brown eyes

Current Case (Monroe County):

• Docket: MJ-43303-CR-0000393-2025
• OTN: L 1016285-4
• Charges: Resisting arrest (M2), DUI – general impairment (M)
• Arrest Date: December 12, 2025
• Location: Pocono Premium Outlets, 1000 Premium Outlets Drive, Tannersville
• Preliminary Hearing: February 4, 2026, 9:00 a.m.
• MDJ: Daniel Kresge (43-3-03)
• Arresting Officer: Raymond G. Kuehner Jr., Pocono Township PD

Prior Conviction (Bucks County):

• Docket: CP-09-CR-0005484-2011
• OTN: T 067382-0
• Charges: DUI – school vehicle (M), DUI – highest rate BAC .16+ (M), endangering welfare of children (M1), recklessly endangering another person (M2)
• Arrest Date: June 15, 2011
• Disposition: Guilty plea, October 26, 2011
• Sentence: 2-6 months (DUI), 4-23 months concurrent (child endangerment), $1,000 fine, license surrender, treatment
• Judge: C. Theodore Fritsch Jr.
• Arresting Agency: Bensalem Township Police

---

Townsend is presumed innocent on the current charges until proven guilty in a court of law.