Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Grand Forks repeat drunken driver gets 10 years

Grand Forks repeat drunken driver gets 10 years

Oct 15, 2008 - 04:05:22 CDT

GRAND FORKS (AP) - A Grand Forks man with at least three dozen criminal and traffic offenses on his record was sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison for driving drunk and killing a passenger.

Dustin Nelson, 29, pleaded guilty to charges of driving under the influence and manslaughter in an October 2007 crash that killed Kody Kalis, 21, of Grand Forks.

Assistant State's Attorney Carmell Mattison said Nelson had been convicted earlier of 25 misdemeanors and 12 felonies since 1997, including reckless driving and drunken driving offenses.

The prosecutor said witnesses reported Nelson was driving 100 mph before his car hit a traffic signal post in Grand Forks on the night Kalis was killed. The crash occurred at 2:07 a.m., shortly after bars closed.

Nelson had a 0.19 blood-alcohol level and marijuana in his system, Mattison said.

"This crime was a tragic end result of a predictable path Mr. Nelson was on," the prosecutor said.

At Monday's sentencing, Nelson apologized to Kalis' family.

"It's a bad situation for everybody," he said. "I can't blame you guys for hating me - I hate me, too."

Nelson, who pleaded guilty to the charges in August, was credited for the time he served since the crash. On top of the 10-year penalty, he must serve six months for violating the terms of his probation on earlier convictions.

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Comments

Renee wrote on Oct 18, 2008 3:48 PM:

" The family is happy Dustin got the max for this crime, but I don't think the max is fair...it should be evaluated with more penalties for his long history of trouble. We miss you Kody! Love your cousin, Nay Nay "

Carol wrote on Oct 18, 2008 12:12 AM:

" The prosecutor said, "this crime was a tragic end result of a predictable path Mr Nelson was on." If the path was so predictable then why wasn't something done sooner? Convicted of 12 felonies and still a free man? Shame on the prosecutors and the justice system. I can guarantee that if one of the felonies was committed against a judge or prosecutor, then harsher penalties would have been handed out. My thoughts are with the victim's family. "

JP wrote on Oct 15, 2008 5:26 PM:

" TO Thought: you would be surprised how many people think they are not even impaired at .19 bac in North Dakota. This is a sad story of someone not learning a lesson until it was too late... I hope this is a wake up call for some people... "

thought wrote on Oct 15, 2008 11:12 AM:

" I am all for drinking but why so much. wow! "

Grumpy Old Republican wrote on Oct 15, 2008 8:04 AM:

" So...someone had to DIE before this guy got 10 years in the slammer?

Pathetic. Our "justice" system sucks out loud. There were MULTIPLE opportunities to take that hazard off the streets. "

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