Man ordered to spend four days in jail for destructive Rexburg DUI
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REXBURG — A judge ordered a Rigby man to spend at least four days in jail after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence during a destructive crash.
Joseph W. Lake, 18, appeared in court for his arraignment of the misdemeanor DUI charge on Tuesday afternoon. Lake pleaded guilty and Magistrate Judge Mark Rammell subsequently sentenced him. Police say Lake admitted to huffing before passing out and crashing.
The total sentence handed down by Rammell was 180 days in jail. But Rammell then suspended 90 days of the sentence, gave 86 days up to the discretion of court officers and ordered Lake to spend four days in jail over two weekends. If he violates his probation, Lake may have to spend additional time in jail. Additionally, Lake’s driver’s license is suspended for six months and he’s ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and restitution. Officials have not calculated the cost of the restitution.
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Police reports show around 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 26, a witness saw an SUV break through a vinyl fence separating the row of townhomes from the westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 20. A survey of the scene led police to discover the GMC Yukon also smashed through a 10-to-12-inch thick concrete wall reinforced with rebar and a second smaller fence.
Once through the fences, the Yukon struck a street sign, slammed into several parked vehicles and into an occupied townhouse. First responders found Lake behind the wheel with a bone sticking out of his lower leg. He was hospitalized at Madison Memorial Hospital.
No one else was injured in the crash.
Lake, who is on probation in Jefferson County on an unrelated charge, walked out of the Madison County Courthouse following sentencing. He plans to begin serving his sentence this weekend.
Once Lake’s driving privileges are reinstated, he’s required to have an interlock device. An interlock device is a breathalyzer that requires the driver to blow into a mouthpiece before starting or continuing to operate the vehicle.