Trial date set for State Rep. Cherelle Parker’s DUI charge

A trial date has been scheduled for Philadelphia State Rep. Cherelle Parker, who was arrested and charged with drunk driving in early May.

Joseph Kelly, Parker’s attorney, said Wednesday that the lawmaker opted for a trial after he noticed “some problems” with the paperwork police filed on the incident. Kelly and Parker made the decision in Municipal Court this morning during a brief status hearing.

“Something jumped out that was a mistake I saw in the paperwork,” said Kelly in a phone interview. He would not provide any details about the nature of those errors.

Asked about the possibility of the DUI case being settled before the July 11 court date, Kelly said it was too early to tell.

“We’re just in the early stages of trying to evaluate the case,” he said.

If the trial date sticks, Parker will appear at the Criminal Justice Center at 10 a.m.

At 12:35 a.m., May 1, Parker was pulled over by police after she was spotted driving the wrong-way on a one-way street on the 5800 block of Baynton Street in East Germantown, said officer Jillian Russell, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department.

Russell said police gave Parker a Breathalyzer. The results of that blood-alcohol-test were not released.

The lawmaker was then arrested and released following a preliminary arraignment.

Parker would not comment for this story.

Parker, a Democrat, represents Pennsylvania’s 200th Legislative District, which includes sections of the Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill and Roxborough neighborhoods in Philadelphia.