Man Faces Three Years in Prison Over 11th DUI
Russell Paul Price was sentenced to more than three years in prison over his 11th conviction for driving drunk. He pleaded guilty on Monday and now faces between 40 months and 5 years in prison; he was also given concurrent terms of 180 days for driving with a suspended license, and 90 days for possession of marijuana. He got 5 days credit for days already served, and was ordered to pay $2,473 in costs and fines. Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Travis said, “He has a history of drunk driving. This is his 11th conviction for it and the last time he was sent to prison. He’s not probation or local jail material. If he wants to drink himself to death at home, he can, but it’s another thing to get behind the wheel of a car when he’s drunk.”
Price showed remorse in court when he said he never thought he would be in court again for drunk driving. He added that he had gone to counseling and had been on medication, however the costs of those were too much and he had to stop treatment. He referred to his last episode of getting drunk and getting behind the wheel a “drastic mistake”. Berrien County Trial Judge Dennis Wiley said, “There’s no question that you’re an alcoholic and continue to abuse drugs. Then you get behind the wheel of a car and endanger every other human being out there. This is your 11th conviction. One of these days you’re going to kill someone else or yourself.”
The sentencing guidelines for a case such as Price’s is only 7 to 23 months in jail or prison, however Wiley departed from the guidelines and gave Price a significantly longer sentence considering the number of prior convictions on Price’s record.
If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Michigan DUI attorney for legal assistance.
