Man pleads in DUI case, gets prison, fine
Published 9:13 am Thursday, February 21, 2013
Impaired driving will not go unnoticed in Lawrence County, as one Ironton man learned Wednesday in common pleas court.
Jason Preston, 37, of 801 County Road 6, pleaded guilty to third-degree driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. According to Judge Charles Cooper, the man had six previous convictions for DUI, two of them felonies.
Preston apologized to the court, saying he had been irresponsible and that he didn’t want to repeat the pattern.
Before sentencing, Cooper warned the man that his actions not only affect his own health, but the public’s as well.
“You’re putting everyone’s safety at risk when you get behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Cooper said.
Cooper sentenced the man to two years in prison, a $3,500 fine and a three-year driver’s license suspension.
Cooper also ordered that when Preston does get his license back, his vehicle must have special tags that identify him as a DUI offender and a breath alcohol ignition interlock device installed in his car.
In other cases:
• Phillip Dingess, 32, of 3152 County Road 1, South Point, pleaded guilty to four counts of breaking and entering and one count of complicity to breaking and entering, all felonies of the fifth degree.
Cooper sentenced the man to six months in prison for each count to be served concurrently, and restitution in the amount of $35,200.
• Michael Tipton, 26, of 95 Private Drive 1255, South Point, admitted community controlled sanctions violations and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.
• A mental evaluation for Tony Rossiter, 42, of 113 County Road 195, Crown City, was submitted that the man is not competent to stand trial.
Rossiter had previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to a second-degree count of felonious assault.
The report from Court Clinic Forensic Services stated Rossiter could not understand the wrongfulness of his actions. Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson said the man was charged with assaulting his neighbor.
Rossiter will be sent to Appalachian Behavioral Health Care in Athens to be evaluated for a treatment plan. If deemed necessary, Rossiter could spend up to eight years in a hospital setting, Anderson said.
• Joseph Stevens, 36, of 3008 Rear Apartment, Huntington, W.Va., tested positive to cocaine at his pretrial drug screening. Cooper increased the man’s bond to $250,000 cash or surety. A trial was set for Feb. 28 for a charge of theft of a firearm.
• Savannah Jenkins, 25, of 2615 S. Fifth St., Ironton, was sentenced to four years CCS under intensive supervise probation for a count of possession of drugs and six months in jail suspended for a misdemeanor count of child endangerment.
Cooper also ordered that Jenkins complete the program at STAR Community Justice Center.
• Kala Moore, 24, of 1774 State Route 503, Wurtland, Ky., pleaded guilty to amended indictment of fourth-degree attempted tampering with evidence and fourth-degree illegal assembly or possession of chemical for the manufacture of drugs. A misdemeanor count of possession of drug abuse instruments was dismissed.
Judge D. Scott Bowling sentenced Moore to four years CCS/ISP, STAR, 200 hours community service, a $2,500 fine and a six-month driver’s license suspension.
• Danny Jones, 25, and Rachel Jones, 28, both of 503 Third St. East, South Point, tested positive for drugs. Bowling increased both their bonds to $20,000 plus GPS monitoring.
• Chadra Mobley, 27, of 85 County Road 53, Kitts Hill, denied CCS violations. Bowling set a trial for Wednesday.