A man who was arrested five times for drunk driving was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
A jury found Stephen Andrew Hall, 59, of Fort Worth, Texas guilty of felony driving while intoxicated this month in his fifth case on similar charges.
A jury took about four minutes to agree on a guilty verdict in the latest case.
His most recent drunk driving arrest occurred in July 2011 when a police officer pulled him over for failing to stop at an intersection. When the officer approached Hall's car window, the driver said: 'I'm so under arrest,' according to the district attorney's office in Tarrant County, Texas. He went on to tell the officer that he had two beers, the district attorney's office said. Hall told the officer: 'I'm guilty.'
The man's blood-alcohol concentration was two times the legal limit at .18 when he was tested two hours later, authorities said.
In court, prosecutors revealed that Hall had been previously sentenced to prison for 20 years for aggravated robbery. He had already served time for his other DWI convictions. Hall's repeated offences had raised the possibility that Hall would face 25 years to life in prison. Judge Mollee Westfall decided on a 45-year sentence after taking his age and life circumstances into consideration.
He must fulfill a quarter of his sentence before he can become eligible for parole. In a statement, Assistant District Attorney Erin Cofer called the sentence 'fitting' because of Hall's criminal history.
'Judge Westfall’s sentence ensures that he will not be able to drive a vehicle on our roads for a very long time,' the district attorney said.
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A former police woman has relived the terrifying night she was shot five times at point blank range as she tackled a pair of psychopathic gunmen who were holding her boyfriend's family hostage.
Petite Isabella Lovadina, 29, fought off the two thugs who had forced their way at gunpoint into the home of boyfriend Nick Koenig's grandmother, where Isabella had just enjoyed a relaxed family dinner. Four generations of Nick's family were staying at the St. Louis house during the terrifying raid in 2009 in which his cousin Gina, a single mother of two, was shot dead.
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Nick's aunt Rose had managed to escape the house and had been tearing down the street banging on neighbours' doors and screaming for help. Meanwhile young Sam managed to find a mobile phone and coolly called 911. Ambulances were on the way, but for Isabella, who had been shot five times and was loosing a lot of blood, it would be touch and go. Thankfully the paramedics arrived in time and both Nick and Isabella were rushed to hospital. Tragically Gina was dead.
Across the city, one of the raiders walked into the emergency room at Barnes Hospital claiming he had been shot in the hand. A quick witted X-ray operator realised that something wasn't quite right and the hospital contacted the police who arrive to see the man walking out to his car next to which his accomplice is waiting. The cops followed the man to a nearby park where where they saw him throw something onto the ground. He is later apprehended and jewellery belonging to Nick's grandmother Ida is found in his pocket. Police recovered a black handgun from the park.
Officers determined that he was Mario Coleman. The second man, Ledale Nathan Jr, is also arrested. Isabella was able to identify both men from a photo line-up from he hospital bed.
Coleman, 24, was sentenced to life without parole for first-degree murder plus five life terms plus 90 years. LeDale Nathan Jr., received life without parole plus five life terms plus 75 years.
Sadly Isabella's injuries meant she had to retire from the force. She was commended for her bravery, awarded the Medal of Valour by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and even had a day named after her by the Mayor of St. Louis.
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