MH man pleads guilty to DWI charge, 1 of 4 since 2015

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A Mountain Home man pled guilty October 7 to his fourth driving while intoxicated charge. He was sentenced to three years in prison with a judicial transfer to one of the community correction centers in the state for addiction treatment.

The plea was taken in Baxter County Circuit Court.

The most recent arrest for 44-year-old David Graham came on March 14 last year on State Highway 178 West in Midway.

According to the probable cause affidavit, about 10 a.m., a Baxter County sheriff’s deputy spotted the 2006 Kia Sorento being driven by Graham traveling at a high rate of speed.

The deputy turned around and began pursuing the vehicle. At one point, Graham is reported to have stopped in the middle of the highway and started to back up. According to the deputy, Graham had apparently missed his turn and was attempting to get back to that point.

The deputy said he approached the car and first asked Graham why he had been speeding. He said Graham mumbled but did not answer the question where he could be understood.

When the deputy asked Graham for his driver’s license, Graham was reported to have started handing over card after card out of his wallet. He continued to hand documents to the deputy until he was told to stop.

The deputy asked Graham how much he had to drink and he claimed no more than a single beer. According to the probable cause affidavit, a breathalyzer was used after Graham was taken to the Baxter County Detention Center and the test result showed a blood-alcohol content of .191.

Graham had other DWI convictions in the past 10 years – one in 2015, 2016, 2022 and the most recent one last year.

If a driver has three or more DWI convictions within the past 10 years, the charge is bumped up to an unclassified felony.

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