| Woman
sentenced to prison for DUI
By Natalie Cook
December 11, 2006 | LOGAN -- Sherri Stone pleaded guilty
to a list of six charges Tuesday in First District Court.
Stone, 35, was sentenced to 0 to 5 years in the Utah
State Prison and must complete the Excel program in
the state prison to help her recover from her alcohol
addiction.
Stone pleaded guilty to DUI, assault, escape from
official custody and intoxication. Stone's DUI charge
was enhanced to a third-degree felony because of her
long history of alcohol-related crimes, and she was
violating her parole by leaving Utah. Stone's blood-alcohol
content was three times the legal limit of .08 at the
time of her arrest and she had endangered many other
drivers before she was taken into custody.
Stone asked for work release and drug and alcohol
counseling to avoid returning to jail. "I need to get
some counseling in hopes I can get better and stay healthy,"
Stone said.
The prosecution presented the fact that AP&P Parole,
the agency whom Stone was placed under the supervision
of, has noted she becomes violent and angry when intoxicated.
She has broken parole and been involved in other alcohol-related
crimes on many occasions over the past six years.
Stone was not permitted to return to being on parole
because she has violated her parole many times since
her first placement on it in 2000. She has a long history
of alcohol problems and Judge Thomas Willmore chose
to sentence her to jail because she has already been
given many chances to recover on her own.
"It has been a long hard life and it is only going
to be longer and harder unless you can get youself clean,"
Willmore said. "You're lucky no one was hurt, including
yourself." Willmore said he was beginning to lack faith
that she can recover without incarceration and that
is why he chose the sentence he did.
"I don't know what demons are a part of you that bring
you back time and time again to alcohol, but you have
had so many chances I am beginning to lack faith you
can recover on your own, " Willmore said.
Willmore said he placed Stone in prison in the interest
of protecting society and protecting Stone from herself.
Stone will receive credit for the time she served
in the Cache County Jail from Oct. 15 through Dec. 6.
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