MONROE — A Monroe man was sentenced Aug. 2 to one year in jail and four years on probation for his fifth drunken driving conviction.
Ryan Todd King, 34, pleaded no contest to the charge of fifth-offense operating while intoxicated, a Class G felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He also pleaded no contest to two counts of misdemeanor bail jumping. Related charges including two counts of resisting or obstructing an officer were dismissed as part of a plea deal but “read in,” meaning the judge, Thomas Vale, could consider them at sentencing.
King is eligible to serve his sentence with Huber work-release privileges and ordered to undergo any treatment or counseling deemed appropriate by his probation agent. His license is revoked three years and he owes $3,662 in fines, fees and other court assessments.
The charges stem from a truck rollover crash reported in the N4000 block of County N, Town of Monroe, on May 26, 2017. King was found at the scene, having apparently been ejected from the vehicle.
According to police reports, King told responding officers he appreciated their work and that they had always treated him “decently.” However, a breathalyzer test found he had a blood-alcohol content of .256%, over three times the legal limit. He was also prohibited from drinking by his bonds in pending cases, so he was arrested.
He was taken to Monroe Clinic for observation because of possible injuries sustained in the crash. During his observation, King reportedly escaped his room and the hospital while doctors and officers were occupied elsewhere. He was found several hours later at his residence in the N5500 block of County N, Town of Monroe.
An initially filed charge of escaping custody was later amended out of the case.
Previously, King was sentenced to 45 days in jail for his second OWI conviction in Jefferson County in 2008; to six months in jail for his third OWI conviction in Green County in 2011; and to two years on probation and one year in jail for his fourth OWI conviction in Green County in 2015.