He was swerving and driving 90 mph while drunk. It resulted in his 11th DUI conviction
Steven Elms, 44, was spotted by a Tulare County Sheriff’s Office detective last year driving 90 mph and swerving.
When Elms was pulled over between Terra Bella and Porterville, authorities soon suspected the erratic behavior was drunk driving. It resulted in a DUI conviction – his 11th one.
The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office announced he was convicted Thursday of felony charges of driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. Special allegations that his blood alcohol content was above 0.15 percent was also found true.
The Terra Bella man faces a maximum sentence of five years and four months in state prison during his sentencing hearing Feb. 7 in Tulare County Superior Court.
The district attorney’s office said prior to trial, Elms pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended license and failure to utilize an ignition interlock device.
His DUI arrest was May 18 after the detective spotted him speeding on Road 256 in Tulare County.
It was his ninth such conviction in California. Elms had two previous convictions in Utah. He was first convicted of DUI in 1998.
“Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute the entirely avoidable crime of DUI, to the end that we have a dedicated attorney assigned to prosecute DUI offenders,” District Attorney Tim Ward said in a news release. “There are too many options available to get home safe instead of driving under the influence. If you see DUI on the road, call 911.”
