St. Joseph man gets prison time for drunk driving
Published 7:41 am Tuesday, September 16, 2025

- Kidd
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
NILES — A St. Joseph man convicted of drunk driving was sentenced to prison Monday in Berrien County Trial Court at the Niles courthouse.
Daniel Allen Kidd, 31, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty to third offense drunk driving and was sentenced to 18 months to five years in prison. He has credit for 73 days served and must pay $1,543 in fines and costs. His license was revoked. He was also given credit for time served for attempted resisting and obstructing police.
The incident occurred July 4 in Weesaw Township. Police were called to the scene on reports of a fight and found Kidd doing donuts in a field. His blood alcohol level was .239, nearly three times the legal limit.
Assistant Prosecutor Myrene Koch noted both the fact that Kidd had five prior drunk driving convictions and his high blood alcohol level. “He put himself and the public at risk,” she said. “He has had numerous opportunities on probation.”
“I’m very sorry to my community,” Kidd said. “I was going through a divorce and I started drinking. It was my own fault. I had a good job and a good family. “I want to prove myself when I get out.”
“I don’t know that anyone minds if you drink alcohol at home,” Berrien County Trial Court Judge Gordon Hosbein said. “But then you got in a car and put the community in danger. Actions have consequences and you have taken some responsibility.”
In two other sentencings, two area residents were sentenced for attempted carjacking and fleeing police.
Tyrus Dontral Cloy, 31, of South Bend, pleaded guilty to attempted carjacking and was sentenced to 60 days in jail with credit for two days served and $258 in fines and costs. The rest of the jail term is held in abeyance pending Cloy’s completion of a mental health assessment.
The incident occurred July 14 south of Buchanan. Cloy bailed out of a friend’s car and fled on foot. He then tried to steal a car at JD’s Truck Stop on U.S. 12.
Defense attorney Shayne Williams said Cloy has a good job and had a mental health breakdown at the time of this incident.
Samuel Lawrence Prince, 23, of Stevensville, pleaded guilty to fleeing and eluding police and resisting and obstructing police and was sentenced to 210 days in jail with credit for 95 days served and $266 in fines and costs.
The incident occurred June 13 in Buchanan Township where he was pulled over after speeding and crossing the center line.
The jail term can be served in any penal institution as he also faces charges in Van Buren County.