COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A Three Rivers man with multiple drunk driving convictions was ordered to serve between 37 months and 15 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections on Monday in Branch County Circuit Court .
41-year-old Jeremy Chandler Tomlinson had nine previous drunk driving convictions before he was arrested by the Michigan State Police on February 15.
He entered a guilty plea to O.W.I. third offense with a fourth time habitual offender sentencing enhancer.
In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed charges of driving while his license was suspended second offense and transporting open intoxicants in a vehicle.
The prison time handed down was what was being sought by prosecutors.
Tomlinson was arrested by the State Police after a resident on Airview Drive in Coldwater Township saw a vehicle pull into her driveway.
Court documents state Tomlinson was passed out in the driver’s seat. He told troopers he pulled into the driveway because he was out of gas.
A preliminary breath test indicated his blood alcohol level was point-two-one. The legal limit in Michigan is point-zero-eight.
State Police say he was on parole at the time of his arrest. According to a Branch County District Court probable cause affidavit, Tomlinson’s drivers license is indefinitely revoked due to his prior O.W.I. convictions.
Wow…isn’t this a tad harsh after only 10 drunk driving convictions? I thought you were an habitual offender after say 6, 7,8 convictions? He blew a .08??? I am gonna go out on a limb but I am guessing he blows a .08 after drying out for a month. And does anyone think he ever got away with drunk driving in his 25 years behind the wheel. Even at 10% arrest rate which is super high (like our all-star) he averages 4 DUIs a year. I see no use in putting this guy behind bars…(he spent enough time there already) …that will only use taxpayers money for a seemingly useless cause. Plus it will reduce liquor sales for the area.