A Bethlehem, Pa., man who was facing two drunken driving charges in eastern Pennsylvania prior to allegedly driving the wrong way on state Route 60 and crashing head-on into an elderly couple's vehicle last month, had one of his charges waived to Montgomery County Court on Tuesday.

The driver, Joseph C. Stemple Jr., 41, formerly of Blue Bell, Montgomery County, now faces two drunken driving charges in the eastern part of the state, and according to court documents, in both cases Stemple's blood alcohol tested at 0.35. At the time, the legal limit was 0.10.

No charges have been filed in Mercer County in connection with the local crash, which resulted in the deaths of Donald R. Romanio Jr., 69, and his wife Norma, 73, of New Castle.

The drunken driving charge that was waived to court Tuesday stemmed from a Feb. 14 crash, according to court documents. A Montgomery County court official said the charge took months to get to the preliminary hearing level because Stemple may have been in rehabilitation and the case was continued at least five times at the request of his attorney.

Stemple, a son of the Whitpain Townhip police chief in Montgomery County, is facing a second drunken driving charge, stemming from a May 1 crash, according to Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney John Gradel.

At 5:08 p.m. Nov. 5, Shenango Township police said Stemple's SUV was headed north in the southbound lanes of Route 60 and hit a car carrying the Romanios. Mrs. Romanio was pronounced dead at the scene; her husband, who was driving, died later in St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown.

Mercer County District Attorney James P. Epstein and Shenango Township Police Chief Ron Preston said the wreck remains under investigation. Preston said they are waiting for a determination of death from the Mahoning County Coroner's Office for Romanio.