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NILES — A Buchanan man was sentenced to prison for his sixth drunk driving conviction Monday in Berrien County Trial Court. 

Rodney Allen Stuart, 48, of Buchanan, pleaded guilty to third offense drunk driving and was sentenced to 18 months to five years in prison with credit for 60 days already served. His license was revoked and he must pay $1,558 in fines and costs.

      The incident occurred March 16 in Buchanan. His blood alcohol level was found to be .157, nearly twice the legal limit and he also had THC in his blood.

      Koch noted that he has a total of eight felony and 14 misdemeanor convictions with at least 12 probation sentences.

      Defense attorney Shayne Williams presented letters of support for Stuart and Judge Hosbein allowed Stuart’s significant other to speak before the sentencing.

      The woman said that she runs a nonprofit foundation dedicated to addressing drunk driving and distracted driving issues with presentations to schools and churches. She said she met Stuart when he was in recovery and noted that he’s only had this one relapse in the years she’s known him.

      She said she believed in accountability and rehabilitation and said that Stuart has taken steps to maintain his sobriety and get counseling. “I feel that taking him away from rehabilitation would be more detrimental to him and his recovery,” she said. “The time he’s spent in jail has been very hard on him.”

   Berrien County Trial Court Judge Gordon Hosbein had a different view about accountability and rehabilitation. 

“When one is exhausted, the other is the only one left,” he said. “He has done all the rehabilitation and he still put the community in danger. That needs accountability.”

      “You’re not a bad person,” he told Stuart. “I don’t like sentencing good people to prison but I have to separate my emotions and remain unbiased. This is your sixth drunk driving where you put people at risk. I would be a hypocrite if I gave you probation and it’s hypocritical of you to go back into probation and have no repercussions. There has to be accountability and in this case that means prison.”

      Other area residents received jail and probation terms.

      Gregory William Davis, 32, of Niles, pleaded guilty to larceny in a building and was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for 67 days served. He must pay $198 in fines and costs.

      The incident occurred Aug. 7 in Niles.

      Robert Randall Holcomb, Jr., 39, of Buchanan, pleaded guilty to stealing/retaining a financial transaction device without consent and was sentenced to 120 DAYS in jail with credit for 65 days served. He must pay $698 in fines, costs and restitution.

      The incident occurred Oct. 9, 2023 in Buchanan.

      Enrique Lopez-Ruiz, 22, of Berrien Springs, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to nine months in jail with credit for 74 days served and $258 in fines and costs.

      The incident occurred July 28 in Berrien Springs and involved throwing bleach on a woman.

He also had his probation revoked and was sentenced to 365 days in jail with credit for 73 days served from a previous aggravated assault conviction against the same woman.

Judge Hosbein said his primary goal was to protect the victim and ordered him to have no contact with her. Lopez-Ruiz is from Guatemala and is believed to be in the country illegally.

An Ohio youth was sentenced to probation for an incident at Red Bud Track and Trail in July.

The Ohio youth pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of personal property $1,000 to $20,000 and was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Training Act to 18 months probation, credit for one day served, 180 hours of community service and $598 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred July 6 in Buchanan Township when he threw a mortar into a porta-potty at Red Bud Trail and Trail. The conviction will not go on his record if he is successful on probation.