Condemned for the 9th time by driving drunk man gets life in US prison

                  
          Donald Middleton, 56, convicted nine times for drunk driving in the US


His first eight convictions for drunken driving did not stop Donald Middleton, of Houston, to pick up again toward after drinking and thus receive his ninth conviction.

When Middleton, 56, faced the Judge Kathleen Hamilton, of the 359th Rifle District Court of Texas, on Tuesday (7), it sentenced him to life imprisonment. It will only be entitled to parole after serving 30 years.

Such a harsh sentence is unusual for convictions for drunk driving, which often leads to temporary suspension of driver's license and prison sentences that allow repeat offenders back on the streets. In the case of Middleton, he still had a valid driver's license, despite the eight convictions.

The case of Middleton raises the question: how many times someone has to be caught driving drunk before he or she no longer able to drive legally?

He was arrested in May 2015 after around in the wrong hand direction and colliding head-on with a vehicle driven by a young man who was returning home from work in a market. Middleton ran to a nearby convenience store and has repeatedly called for the attendant to hide it, prosecutors said.

It had an alcohol level in the blood of 1.84 g / L, more than twice the legal limit, 0.8 g / l, according Justin Fowles, an assistant promoter Montgomery County. Middleton pleaded guilty to drunk driving and is in jail since.

The young man, Joshua Hayden, was not injured, but his father, Rowdy Hayden said in a telephone interview that he enjoyed the last sentence of the judge.

"I'm furious as a parent by this individual have faced justice eight times and still remained there endangering our citizens in the streets, drinking and driving," said Rowdy Hayden, a Montgomery County police. "His background shows that still driving drunk. And who knows, the next time could end up killing someone."

Middleton has had four stints in prison for drunken driving. In his eighth conviction, in 2008, he hit the back of a car with several people inside, who had minor injuries. Middleton fell from the car and could not get up, Fowles said.

The conviction that episode led to think of imprisonment of 13 years, of which he served four. After the most recent conviction, he was classified as a habitual offender, which allows a longer sentence.
"He proved to us that their freedom can not be entrusted, that is a risk to our community and that the best thing for the safety of everyone on the street is you can never drive again," Fowles said in a telephone interview.

The laws to prevent drunk drivers repeat offenders vary greatly from state to state, but repeat offenders tend to receive multiple new chances. The National Administration of Road Safety estimates that 1 in 3 people arrested on charges of drunken driving is a repeat offender.

In Minnesota, a 61-year-old man was released from prison last year after serving a sentence of five years for his 27th conviction for drunk driving. In Pennsylvania, a man was arrested five times in less than a year, but never lost his driver's license or fulfilled more than 10 days in jail.

Punishments also vary from state to state. In New York, a third charge of drunk driving can result in a $ 10,000 fine (about US $ 34,000) and seven years in prison, despite increasing penalties for multiple violations in 25 years. In Arkansas, drivers permanently lose their driver's license in the fourth offense for drunk driving in five years, in addition to being charged criminally.

JT Griffin, director for government affairs Mothers against drunk driving, said the organization focuses on promoting devices that lock the ignition, requiring anyone convicted of drunk driving pass a breath test before starting in the car. Twenty-seven states have laws requiring its use, including New York, he said.

Suspend the driver's license may be ineffective when so many people continue to drive without a valid license, he said.

"We believe in effective action against drunk driving for the first time, so there is not a second, third or fourth time," Griffin said. "The first time is unacceptable. Nine times is simply ridiculous."