Man sentenced for DUI with 3 prior convictions

A Sacramento man was sentenced to 240 days in prison followed by 490 days on mandatory supervision for driving under the influence with three prior convictions.

Judge David Rosenberg handed down the sentencing in Yolo Superior Court on Tuesday.

According to a release by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, 53-yearold Simon Kukhta’s conviction was a felony because he had been convicted of a trio of other DUIs in the past 10 years. The previous offenses took place in Sacramento County in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

A local jury found Kukhta guilty in December following a three-day trial.

“The jury heard evidence that on September 30, 2019, Kukhta was driving on a levee in unincorporated Yolo County after being up all night fishing,” the release states. “Kukhta was driving on a straight and level roadway when he drove off the levee and his car became stuck on the embankment.

“Kukhta, who was still on probation for his most recent DUI conviction, told officers that he had not had any alcohol and refused a breath test, but a blood test showed that Kukhta had been over twice the legal limit when drove,” it continued.

California Highway Patrol officers and a Yolo County Sheriff’s deputy handled the investigation with assistance and a follow-up investigation by a member of the DA’s team. Witnesses who had found Kukhta on the side of the levee were interviewed and search warrants for Kukhta’s phone and vehicle were executed.

This case was prosecuted by one of Yolo County’s specialized deputy district attorneys who are working to stem impaired driving through prosecution, education, and community outreach.

Under a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, these prosecutors provide training to law enforcement on identifying impaired drivers, educate members of the community about impaired driving, and do community outreach to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving.

“My office will continue to not only be proactive in preventing DUI offenses, but will also continue to go after these high-risk offenders,” said District Attorney Jeff Reisig. “These repeat DUI offenders gamble with the lives of Yolo County residents and my office will not stand for it. Our grant prosecutors are not only educating our community about the dangers of driving under the influence to prevent these incidents, but they are also holding those who drive under the influence accountable.”

Yolo County’s OTS program is one of the most progressive programs in the state, with a strong focus on education and prevention, according to the release. These prosecutors teach at educational events and take an active role in preventing driving under the influence by engaging the community through high school trials, college outreach, and other community events.

“Repeat DUI offenders pose the greatest risk because they lack the self-control to not drive impaired,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “We must continue to not only hold those who put others on the road at risk accountable, but also work on long-term behavior changes to prevent highrisk individuals from reoffending.”