Niles man jailed after third OWI conviction

Published 9:46 am Tuesday, July 19, 2016

A Niles man convicted of drunk driving for the third time will spend time in jail following a rollover accident near the Pucker Street Dam in Niles this spring.

Michael Allen Witt, 49, of Ash Street, was sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court to 120 days in jail and four years probation, according to Assistant Prosecutor Cortney O’Malley.

O’Malley also said Judge Angela Pasula ordered Witt to successfully complete an inpatient substance abuse treatment program through the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program.

Michael Allen Witt

Michael Allen Witt

The sentence stems from when the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department responded to a rollover accident in the parking lot of the Pucker Street Dam shortly before 11 p.m. March 25.

Police made contact with two men who said they were in the truck at the time of the accident. One of the men, Witt, said he was the driver, according to court documents.

Police could smell alcohol on Witt, who admitted to consuming approximately six drinks, according to court documents. A blood test revealed Witt had a blood alcohol level of .163 — more than two times the legal limit of .08.

Witt ended up pleading guilty to operating while intoxicated as a third offense in exchange for the prosecution recommending he not be sent to a state prison.

Witt had two prior drunk driving convictions in 1992 and 1995, according to court documents.