WATERVILLE — A man who was intoxicated and drove a vehicle down an embankment on Highway 28 near East Wenatchee earlier this year is headed to prison for more than four years after his fifth conviction for driving under the influence.

Daniel Louis Dearment, 41, of Clarkston pleaded guilty to felony DUI on Dec. 14.

Dearment was arrested Sept. 27 after he drove down an embankment off Highway 28 at South Nile Avenue in a vehicle that was reported stolen earlier, according to a Washington State Patrol report written by Sgt. A.R. Nelson.

Nelson wrote:

“It was readily apparent the subject was under the influence of intoxicating liquor” and “his speech was slurred and his breath had a very strong obvious odor of intoxicants.”

Dearment refused to take a breath test that measures blood alcohol content, he wrote.

Nelson said he booked Dearment at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center and discovered he had been arrested for drunk driving in Chelan County on Sept. 18.

After further investigation, Nelson wrote that he found Dearment had previous DUI convictions in Spokane, Chelan and Douglas counties and Alaska.

Dearment was charged in Douglas County Superior Court on Oct. 12 for the felony, which is reserved for people who have been convicted four or more times of DUI within 10 years.

Douglas County Superior Court Judge John Hotchkiss sentenced Dearment to 55.5 months in prison, probation for 4.5 months and $1,700 in fines and fees.

On Oct. 22, Dearment also pleaded guilty to felony DUI in Chelan County Superior Court and will be sentenced Jan 6.

It will be his sixth drunken driving conviction.

Michele Mihalovich: 665-1188

mihalovich@wenatcheeworld.com