Woman sentenced for drug charges
Changes in laws add potential DWIs for consideration in 35-year-old’s case
HOT SPRINGS — A local woman arrested last year after being found passed out in her car was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to a felony drug charge and felony driving while intoxicated, drugs, fourth offense.
Dessie Romaine Davis, 35, who lists a Sour Rock Springs Road address, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to one count of possession of a controlled substance, meth, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; and to DWI, fourth offense, and was sentenced to six years, to run concurrently, while an additional felony charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was withdrawn.
Davis was previously convicted of DWI, fourth offense, on Aug. 27, 2012, in Garland County and sentenced to five years in prison, all suspended. She was later arrested again for DWI on March 22, 2019; May 18, 2019; and April 4, 2020; prior to her fourth arrest for DUI on March 27, 2021, when she was also found with meth in her possession.
Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence told The Sentinel-Record Tuesday Davis had appealed two of her misdemeanor DWI convictions from 2019 which “put them in limbo” essentially until they were later affirmed in circuit court, so they were able to charge her with a felony count of DUI for her March arrest.
Lawrence also noted that previously there was “only a 10-year window” for past DWIs so the ones she was convicted of prior to 2012 had dropped off, but the law has changed now to a “20-year window” so if Davis were arrested again for DWI her charge would reflect her eight or nine previous convictions.
According to the probable cause affidavit on her March 27 arrest, shortly after 11 p.m., Garland County sheriff’s Deputies Kevin Hampton and Thomas Fox responded to the 5500 block of Sunshine Road regarding a suspicious vehicle with a woman passed out behind the wheel.
Hampton recognized the woman as Davis “due to previous interactions with her in the past,” and noted she appeared to be unresponsive at first, but finally “came to” after being shaken.
Davis appeared lethargic and was “hard to understand” when she spoke, Hampton said, noting she also had red, bloodshot eyes and “appeared very confused.” A computer check showed warrants for her arrest on multiple counts of failure to appear.
She had to be asked several times to turn the vehicle off and step out and then she had to use the vehicle for balance.
When asked if there were any illegal narcotics in her vehicle, Davis stated, “I think there is a little in my bag.”
Hampton found a sunglasses case in her bag which held a small pill case containing 4.9 grams of what later tested positive for meth, or ICE, which was taken into evidence.
LifeNet responded to check Davis and cleared her to be taken into custody. Once at the detention center, Davis provided a breath sample that registered 0% blood alcohol content.
Sheriff’s Cpl. Matthew Cogburn responded and performed a drug recognition assessment and determined Davis was “under the influence of a CNS stimulant and unable to operate a vehicle safely.”
Davis was released on a $10,000 bond on June 1 and pleaded not guilty to the charges the next day. She was set for trial on Jan. 24, but the case was later reset for Feb. 17. She opted to plead guilty Monday at a pre-trial hearing.