According to an article appearing on the CBS San Francisco website, a Santa Rosa man is now facing prison time after his 10th DUI conviction.
The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that 40-year-old Salvador Moreno-Botello was given the maximum sentence of three years in prison after a jury found him guilty of driving while intoxicated.
Court documents indicate that the incident occurred on February 12, 2021, when the defendant parked his vehicle near the Joe Rodota Trail in Santa Rosa. A paramedic in the area happened to see Moreno-Botello stumble out of his car to urinate, then flee on foot down the park trail near Highway 12. The paramedic reported what he saw to Santa Rosa Police.
Police officers were able to locate Moreno-Botello approximately 45 minutes later. Moreno-Botello attempted to walk away from the responding officers, but he was questioned and administered field sobriety tests that he failed.
An investigation later found that Moreno-Botello had a blood-alcohol level of 0.24 percent – three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
According to Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch, Moreno-Botello has had nine previous DUI convictions dating back to 2002. Five of those convictions were considered felonies.
“Choosing to drive while impaired is choosing to put other lives in danger,” Ravitch told reporters. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute any and all such cases, and will seek lengthy sentences for any repeat offender.”
Facing a DUI conviction can be a life-altering event. Not only can it mean having to pay higher insurance premiums and hefty fines, but it can also mean the loss of your license, your job, your family, and even your freedom.
