Delta man with 9 DWI convictions to serve one year in prison

A Delta man received a one-year jail sentence Monday for driving while revoked. Dallas Coomer, 57, pleaded guilty to the charge just before June 4 jury trial on the charge of driving while intoxicated.

Circuit Judge William L. Syler dismissed the driving while intoxicated charge after hearing the state's evidence.

A breathalyzer test showed a 0.234 blood alcohol level after Coomer's arrest Feb. 10, 2007, but testimony revealed the officer who'd pulled him over had not observed him for 15 minutes straight before administering the test.

The monitoring period is to ensure the defendant doesn't belch or do anything that might skew the results of the test.

Coomer has nine previous DWI convictions.

A year's jail time is the maximum penalty for a driving while revoked charge, and it ensures that Coomer will serve the entirety of the sentence, whereas if he were sent to prison, he would only be required to serve a third or fourth of the time.

"Dallas Coomer won't be on the streets of Cape Girardeau or Delta forof the next year or so. At least that's some protection for the community," Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said.