A 70-year-old Cuyahoga Falls man was sentenced to eight years in prison following a conviction on his 12th drunken driving offense, authorities said.
Edward A. South, of Highpoint Lane, was sentenced by Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tammy O’Brien.
Last year, on the night after Christmas, South crashed into a pole in the Falls and walked away from the scene. No one was injured, but South was driving on a suspended license at the time and subsequently was tracked by police to a family member’s home.
Prosecutors said he registered 0.087 percent on a blood-alcohol breath test after his apprehension.
Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh said South’s conviction was his 12th over the past 25 years, “but who knows how many times he risked the lives of himself and others by getting behind the wheel drunk?”
“For the sake of the community, I hope that Mr. South will spend these eight years realizing how lucky he was that no one was injured this time,’’ Walsh said.
The next time Mr. South has a few drinks, I hope he is smart enough to find a ride home.”
On May 13, a Summit County jury convicted South of two third-degree felonies for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, along with a specification and an enhanced penalty for having five prior offenses in the past 20 years.
Walsh said South also had an OVI felony conviction in Portage County.
Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or at emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.