Dearborn Priest Faces Drunk Driving While Nude Charges; Pleads No Contest

Recently, Reverend Peter Petroske pleaded no contest to charges filed against him last summer for driving drunk while naked. Petroske was placed on administrative leave from the Sacred Heart Catholic Church by the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was order to pay $1,200 in fines along with court costs, ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and sentenced to 12 months’ probation. While it isn’t mentioned in news reports, it is likely that the priest’s driver’s license was suspended, another penalty those who are charged with drunk driving face.

Michigan drivers license restoration attorneys know that while to some, having their license suspended may seem like the least of their worries, it’s far more serious than it appears on the surface. Being without a driver’s license seriously impacts your life, making it illegal to drive. This impacts an individual’s life in many ways, as driving is a necessary privilege in order to attend school, get to work, doctors appointments, etc.

A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Petroske on October 25 of 2012, but he did not appear due to the fact that he had voluntarily checked himself in to an in-patient alcohol rehabilitation center. Judge Richard Wygonik ordered that Petroske attend the next scheduled hearing on December 27, which he did. Petroske declined addressing the court when asked by the judge if he wished to.

On August 2, 2012, Petroske was pulled over near Sacred Heart near Garrison and Howe streets. He reportedly told officers when questioned about being naked that “I was uh . . . hot . . . I like to drive around naked. I don’t know what to say . . . I’m embarrassed.”

In the state of Michigan, a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher is considered drunk; Petroske’s measured 0.09 percent. Petroske was apprehended when an unnamed man called 911 to report that he saw someone driving naked near Michigan Avenue and Telegraph Road.

It isn’t often that you read a story like this, but it is an unfortunate incident that no doubt Petroske regrets.


If you have been arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving, or any offense that resulted in the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, consult with an experienced Michigan driver’s license reinstatement lawyer today, who will work to have your license restored.

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