05/09/2025
Can You Get a DUI Just for Sitting in a Parked Car? Not Anymore (Without More).
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court just made a big call in Bold v. Commonwealth.
In this case, a man was found asleep in his legally parked car with the engine running—for heat—not driving. He admitted to drinking and was arrested for DUI. But the Court said that’s not enough.
Key takeaway: Just sitting in your car with the engine running does not equal “actual physical control” under the DUI law. There has to be evidence that the car was actually driven or about to be.
Got questions about DUIs or your rights? Let’s talk before you talk to anyone else.
