A 34-year-old Bellevue man with two recent DUI convictions pleaded not guilty Monday to a third charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Jesse Deckard entered his plea at arraignment in Blaine County 5th District Court. Judge Robert J. Elgee scheduled a jury trial for July 12.
According to a criminal complaint, Deckard was charged with a felony in his latest brush with the law because of prior misdemeanor DUI convictions in Blaine County in 2008 and 2009. Idaho law provides that a third DUI offense "shall" be charged as a felony if a defendant has two prior DUI convictions within the past 10 years.
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According to court records, Deckard was sentenced to one day in jail and ordered to pay $855 in fines and fees for the conviction in 2008. In 2009, he was sentenced to 10 days in jail and ordered to pay fines and fees of $1,606.
Deckard's latest arrest came on Feb. 19. A probable-cause affidavit filed by Blaine County Deputy Bradley Mecham states that Deckard was arrested after his gray Ford F150 pickup slid off the road at the intersection of Fourth and Elm streets in Bellevue.
Mecham wrote in his report that Deckard had a blood-alcohol level of .264, more than three times the legal driving blood-alcohol allowance in Idaho of .08.
Deckard was also charged with the misdemeanor crime of driving with an open container of alcohol. Mecham wrote that there was about an inch of beverage left in a bottle confiscated from Deckard.
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
Jesse Deckard
