A 52-year-old man in Norfolk, Nebraska, has a history of DUI convictions dating back to the year 2006. An incident in February resulted in his fifth DUI conviction. In the past, the man has successfully completed the probation sentences he received for his previous convictions. In this case, despite a request from his defense attorney for Specialized Substance Abuse Supervision probation, which she argued was more suitable for someone addicted to alcohol as her client appears to be, the judge sentenced the man to a prison term of four to six years on the DUI charge. A second charge of obstructing a police officer garnered an additional three-month sentence.
At the sentencing hearing, the man acknowledged that alcohol is having a profoundly negative effect on his life and took the opportunity to apologize for disrespectful behavior to the authorities who arrested him in February. Reportedly, at that time the man was in a vehicle that was impeding traffic at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Seventh Street. A law enforcement officer allegedly asked him to move his vehicle to an area in which it would not be an impediment. Instead, the man reportedly took the next street over at a high rate of speed, allegedly abandoning his vehicle in a business parking lot and leaving the scene before authorities caught up with him.
He then allegedly led authorities on a short pursuit before they caught up with him two blocks away and took him into custody. His BAC was nearly twice the legal driving limit according to subsequent testing.
In addition to the prison sentence and an order to pay costs, the court revoked the man’s driver’s license for 15 years. Those in fear of facing similarly steep penalties due to a DUI conviction may wish to consider hiring an attorney.