Drunk driver pleads guilty at Law Day
Wallace Pratt appeared before Judge Scott Wayman on Friday via Zoom.
Courtesy of the SCSO
WALLACE — Friday was Law Day in Shoshone County and Judge Scott Wayman heard a number of local cases, including those of Wallace Pratt and Logan Silva.
Pratt, 69, was arrested in July this year on a charge of driving under the influence, the ninth time he has faced a DUI charge since 2002, both in Shoshone and Kootenai counties.
Pratt was stopped on Eagle Creek Road, where he registered a blood alcohol level of .298, nearly four times the legal limit.
Shoshone County Deputy Prosecutor Ben Allen representing the state explained that due to Pratt’s extensive history of mixing alcohol and driving, he is a risk to society and simply doesn’t care to better himself.
“Mr. Pratt has multiple DUIs in his life and was currently on probation for a felony DUI at the time of this offense,” Allen said. “As such, the state views him as a significant risk to the community based upon his disregard for court orders and his pattern of conduct in continuing to drink and drive despite opportunities for rehabilitation within the community which were granted to him by Kootenai County on his previous DUIs.”
Pratt entered a guilty plea as part of an agreement that would have his sentence run concurrently with his other charges that he will be facing out of Kootenai County.
Due to a backlog of cases in Kootenai County, it appeared Pratt would need to wait at least four months before he could be sentenced. However, Pratt’s attorneys are working with the Kootenai County prosecutors to see if he can be sentenced by Judge Wayman in Shoshone County.
Should they grant Shoshone County permission to handle the sentencing, the state intends to seek a significant prison sentence according to Allen. The maximum sentence for a felony DUI in Idaho is 10 years and Allen anticipates that the state will recommend a prison sentence close to that 10-year maximum.
In the case of Logan Silva, his attorneys requested a continuance from the state so they could continue to work on his defense.
The continuance resulted in the vacation of Silva’s upcoming jury trial, where he will be tried for rape stemming from a charge in December of last year.
Shoshone County Prosecuting Attorney Keisha Oxendine also mentioned additional evidence requested by defense, concerning the medical records of the alleged victim.