Nov. 07--SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. -- David Apraham apparently knew the drill when Spotsylvania Sheriff's Deputy Jason Morris pulled him over a year ago after Apraham's maroon pickup was seen swerving across a double-yellow line.
Apraham approached the officer with his wrists together, ready to be handcuffed.
It turns out the beefy 44-year-old had been convicted 12 previous times of driving under the influence: in Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia, and he was wanted in North Carolina and the state of Washington on DUI charges.
At the time of his arrest Nov. 24, 2011, Apraham was supposed to be under house arrest in Mississippi for his third conviction of driving under the influence.
On Tuesday, Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Thomas G. Shaia argued that Apraham needed to spend significant time in prison, calling sentencing guidelines that came back at seven to 11 months in jail "a tragedy."
Spotsylvania Circuit Judge David H. Beck agreed, dismissing arguments that Apraham deserved leniency because he'd never received help for his drinking problem. Apraham's record for absconding suggests he never stayed in one place long enough to get whatever help may have been offered.
Beck sentenced Apraham, who pleaded guilty in August, to the maximum sentence possible Tuesday: five years in prison for his third DUI conviction in five years; and an additional two 12-month sentences for driving with a suspended license (because of DUI convictions) and for his refusal to be tested for alcohol in his system.
Apraham has plenty of court appearances ahead: He's been wanted in Alabama since April 2002 on a charge of failing to complete a sentence there; he's accused in Alaska of criminal trespass; an outstanding warrant awaits in Mississippi in connection with not completing a sentence; in North Carolina, an unserved driving-under-the-influence warrant dates back two years; and he's wanted in Washington state in connection with driving under the influence in 2007.
On Tuesday, Shaia praised his staff and the sheriff's office for tracking down Apraham's past warrants, many of which did not show up on nationwide criminal databases.
Once Spotsylvania investigators started making calls, "every place that was called" said they had records showing Apraham was wanted on something, Shaia said.
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Copyright 2012 - Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.
