A Sulphur man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday morning for multiple fourth-offense DWIs.

John Hufstedler, 40, pleaded guilty to fourth-offense DWI and admitted to probation violations on two other fourth-offense DWIs. Judge Ron Ware sentenced him to to 15 years in prison on each offense, to run concurrently, with credit for time served. Ware also told Hufstedler that he must complete a treatment program.

Hufstedler has been at Calcasieu Correctional Center of the Academy of Training Skills since his last DWI arrest, in October 2011.

When Louisiana State Police stopped to help a motorist on the side of the La. 385 on Oct. 2, 2011, troopers found Hufstedler unconscious and slumped against the door, with his foot on the gas and the car in neutral, DWI prosecutor Lester Robertson said while reading the statement of facts. Beer was found in the car and Hufstedler exhibited an “extreme” level of impairment, the prosecutor said.

Hufstedler was previously convicted of two counts of fourth-offense DWI on June 1, 2009; two counts of DWI third-offense on Jan. 24, 2005; and one count of DWI on June 19, 2003 in Cameron Parish, Robertson said.

Late in the day, Ware sentenced a Lake Charles man to 12 years in prison, with all but four years suspended, for a fourth-offense DWI.

Chad Alan Broussard, 28, pleaded guilty to the fourth-offense DWI and admitted to two probation violations.

Broussard will be given credit for time served, but will be on supervised probation for five years after his prison term and will have to pay a fine of $2,000, Ware said.

According to court testimony, Broussard walked out of a Baton Rouge treatment facility and out of the Academy of Training skills, after which he left the country.

“I wasn’t planning on coming back,” Broussard told Ware.

But, he was arrested at the border attempting to re-enter, according to court testimony.

Broussard did not appear for a September 2013 trial date, and was incarcerated in Texas from Oct. 1 until Oct. 12, when he was extradited to Louisiana.

Broussard was arrested for a fourth-offense DWI by Sheriff’s deputies on Nov. 26, 2012, Robertson said. Broussard passed an alcohol test, but refused to give urine for a drug screen, the prosecutor said.

Broussard was previously convicted of two DWIs on June 4, 2010, and another DWI on Aug. 16, 2007 in Cameron Parish, Robertson said.

(mgnonline.com)