On Thursday, Jan. 8, a police officer with the Tennessee Highway Patrol watched a car commit a traffic violation. That’s a fairly common occurrence, and the officer flipped on his lights and siren, pulling the car over. What he found when he ran the driver’s license wasn’t nearly so common.
The officer discovered that the man’s license had been suspended or revoked 10 times. This had happened due to DUI charges. Because of his long criminal record, police also said that they have listed the man as an “indefinite habitual motor offender 3rd offense.”
The most recent arrest happened in Coffee County, in the evening. The man is just 39 years old, and he lives on Murfreesboro Highway, in Manchester. He was given a court date on the 7th of March after being booked into the Coffee County Jail. His bond was set at $27,000.
Tennessee takes repeat DUI offenses very seriously, as the punishment becomes more harsh with each subsequent arrest. For example, first offense will bring about a one-year license suspension, a fine of$350 – $1,500, and a jail term between 48 hours and 11 months and 29 days. For a second offense, while the max jail term is the same, the lower end rises to 45 days. The mandatory fine jumps to $600 – $3,500. Your license can be revoked for two years, though a restricted license may be used after one year.
If you’re facing DUI charges, it’s important to understand how past offenses can play into the process. The sentence is not always based only on the most recent event.
Source: WGNS, “Manchester Man Arrested after 10th revoked/suspended charge,” Jan. 08, 2017