Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for 15th DUI Conviction

A habitual DUI offender in Wisconsin has been sentenced to 5 years in prison after he was convicted of drunken driving for the 15th time.

Although 50-year-old Donald Wiessinger has nine official convictions, this is his 15th DUI conviction overall.  Wiessinger was first convicted in 1976, however, a change in state law made it so only those convictions that occurred in 1989 or later count as official convictions.

Wiessenger's newest conviction stems from an arrest that occurred in October of last year, when he led police on a chase that ended when he crashed into a tree while driving a borrowed van.

Despite the fact that a teary-eyed Wiessinger told the judge that he did not want to drink anymore, the judge enforced the sentence, refusing any more treatment programs because they clearly have not been effective.

The 5-year sentence was the most Wiessinger could have received under state law.

As a result of Wiessenger's case, Wisconsin law makers are now considering tightening the state's DUI laws.

For more information about repeat DUI offenders, click here to find a DUI lawyer in your area