This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/drunk-driver-who-injured-md-police-officer-is-sentenced-to-3-years-in-prison/2016/02/26/d6f10d96-dcac-11e5-925f-1d10062cc82d_story.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Drunk driver who injured Md. police officer is sentenced to 3 years in prison Drunk driver who injured Md. police officer is sentenced to 3 years in prison
(about 3 hours later)
Montgomery County police officer Michael Murphy walked up to a Chevy Tahoe he had just pulled over — a vehicle that a minute earlier had come within inches of running him over when it zoomed by on a darkened roadway.Montgomery County police officer Michael Murphy walked up to a Chevy Tahoe he had just pulled over — a vehicle that a minute earlier had come within inches of running him over when it zoomed by on a darkened roadway.
“Let me see your license,” Murphy told the driver. “You know you hit me with your mirror?”“Let me see your license,” Murphy told the driver. “You know you hit me with your mirror?”
“I felt something,” the driver said, his words slurred.“I felt something,” the driver said, his words slurred.
This week — four months after the incident — the driver, Lennwood Saunders, 35, was sentenced to three years in prison for driving while impaired. It was an extraordinarily long penalty for drunken driving in Maryland, owing to Saunders’s history of DUI convictions and how close he came to killing a police officer. This week — four months after the incident — the driver, Lenn­wood Saunders, 35, was sentenced to three years in prison for driving while impaired. It was an extraordinarily long penalty for drunken driving in Maryland, owing to Saunders’s history of drunken-driving convictions and how close he came to killing a police officer.
The passing mirror of the Tahoe cracked one of Murphy’s ribs, although he was able to run back to his cruiser and chase down Saunders. The passing mirror of the Tahoe cracked one of Murphy’s ribs. He was able to run back to his cruiser and chase down Saunders.
“We ask them to go out on the road and to do dangerous things,” Montgomery County District Judge Patricia Mitchell said in court Thursday, speaking of police officers. “Things that we don’t want to do, because they’re dangerous or because we’re not made of the right stuff to do that.”“We ask them to go out on the road and to do dangerous things,” Montgomery County District Judge Patricia Mitchell said in court Thursday, speaking of police officers. “Things that we don’t want to do, because they’re dangerous or because we’re not made of the right stuff to do that.”
The sentence also comes after the death of another officer in Montgomery, Noah Leotta, 24, who was fatally struck two months ago by a suspected drunk driver as the officer stood outside a car he had pulled over. Officials have since renewed a push to toughen penalties for drunken driving in the state. The sentence also comes after the death of another officer in Montgomery, Noah Leotta, 24, who was fatally struck two months ago by a suspected drunk driver as the officer was near a car he had pulled over. Officials have since renewed a push to toughen penalties for drunken driving in the state.
“Drivers like this repeat offender is why we are working to strengthen DUI laws in Maryland,” said Montgomery Police Chief J. Thomas Manger.“Drivers like this repeat offender is why we are working to strengthen DUI laws in Maryland,” said Montgomery Police Chief J. Thomas Manger.
“We have a lot of work to do in the area of drunk driving,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.“We have a lot of work to do in the area of drunk driving,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
In the case of Murphy, his dashboard video — released Friday – laid bare how intoxicated Saunders was.In the case of Murphy, his dashboard video — released Friday – laid bare how intoxicated Saunders was.
“You felt something?” Murphy asked him. “You hit me with your car. And you didn’t stop.”“You felt something?” Murphy asked him. “You hit me with your car. And you didn’t stop.”
It was after 11 p.m. Oct. 21, along Clopper Road in Germantown.It was after 11 p.m. Oct. 21, along Clopper Road in Germantown.
“No, no, no,” Saunders replied. “I heard the noise.”“No, no, no,” Saunders replied. “I heard the noise.”
“You heard a noise?”“You heard a noise?”
“I apologize officer.”“I apologize officer.”
“You almost killed me. Your mirror hit me in the back. License and registration . . . ” From there, the traffic stop included familiar elements of drunken-driving arrests, as officers arrived to help. “You almost killed me. Your mirror hit me in the back. License and registration . . . ”
From there, the traffic stop included familiar elements of drunken-driving arrests, as officers arrived to help.
They saw a 12-pack of Miller High Life on the front passenger seat, with about half the cans missing, court records show. The officers also spotted empty bottles of alcohol. When Saunders stepped out of the SUV, he had a cold can of beer in his pocket.They saw a 12-pack of Miller High Life on the front passenger seat, with about half the cans missing, court records show. The officers also spotted empty bottles of alcohol. When Saunders stepped out of the SUV, he had a cold can of beer in his pocket.
Officers took Saunders through sobriety tests, which he failed. His breath was tested with a portable reader, indicating a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20, more than twice the legal limit.Officers took Saunders through sobriety tests, which he failed. His breath was tested with a portable reader, indicating a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20, more than twice the legal limit.
Asked about his vehicle mirror striking Murphy, Saunders said he thought that he had hit a tree branch.Asked about his vehicle mirror striking Murphy, Saunders said he thought that he had hit a tree branch.
Officers asked Saunders whether they could search the Tahoe, which he permitted, according to court records. Inside, they found a black digital scale bearing cocaine residue. Officers asked Saunders whether they could search the Tahoe, which he permitted, according to court records. Inside, they found a black digital scale bearing cocaine residue.
Saunders pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and possession of cocaine.Saunders pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and possession of cocaine.
Mitchell also sentenced him to three years for the cocaine charge, which is to be served concurrently with the drunken-driving term.Mitchell also sentenced him to three years for the cocaine charge, which is to be served concurrently with the drunken-driving term.
Saunders told the judge that he has gone to treatment for alcohol abuse and again apologized to the officer.Saunders told the judge that he has gone to treatment for alcohol abuse and again apologized to the officer.
“I felt I hit something, but I didn’t know that I hit him,” Saunders said. “The reason why I didn’t stop is because I didn’t know I had hit him. . . . That day I shouldn’t have been drinking, I shouldn’t be drinking at all, period. I have been battling this for a while, a long time.”“I felt I hit something, but I didn’t know that I hit him,” Saunders said. “The reason why I didn’t stop is because I didn’t know I had hit him. . . . That day I shouldn’t have been drinking, I shouldn’t be drinking at all, period. I have been battling this for a while, a long time.”
Defense attorney Howard Cheris said in court that his client is the working father of three young children and should receive a shorter sentence with a work-release component.Defense attorney Howard Cheris said in court that his client is the working father of three young children and should receive a shorter sentence with a work-release component.
“The night this happened he had had some tumult with the mother of his children,” Cheris said. “He reverted back to some poor habits.”“The night this happened he had had some tumult with the mother of his children,” Cheris said. “He reverted back to some poor habits.”
Saunders certainly didn’t try to hit the officer, Cheris said.Saunders certainly didn’t try to hit the officer, Cheris said.
“I don’t think that anybody is suggesting that Mr. Saunders got up the morning of this incident and decided he was going to get hammered and hit a police officer,” he said, adding that Saunders’s conduct was “to an extent accidental.”“I don’t think that anybody is suggesting that Mr. Saunders got up the morning of this incident and decided he was going to get hammered and hit a police officer,” he said, adding that Saunders’s conduct was “to an extent accidental.”