Former Jersey City Deputy Chief of Staff Phil Orphanidis has taken a plea deal to resolve a high publicized drunk driving case, pleading guilty to refusing a breathalyzer test.
Orphanidis’s attorney in the matter, Sebastian Bio, told Judge Paul Scalia that he had to unexpectedly appear for another client’s criminal matter in Morris County Superior Court this morning that delayed him from being in court in Jersey City at 10 a.m.
While he requested to appear virtually or reschedule the hearing by a few hours or even days, Scalia was not amenable, with he and Assistant Prosecutor Monica Cho noting that DUI proceedings can’t be done virtually, but eventually were open to it since Orphanidis was in court in person.
“I’m okay, your honor. I’d rather solve it today,” Orphanidis, who was a part of former Mayor Steven Fulop’s administration and office, told Scalia when asked about the prospect of having counsel represent him virtually…