HOT SPRINGS -- A woman with 12 previous convictions for driving while intoxicated pleaded innocent to a 13th DWI charge last week and was taken into custody on a warrant stemming from the revocation of her suspended sentence from her latest conviction.
Patricia Ann Clanton, 56, of Hot Springs was released on $3,500 bail March 26, the same day as her arrest, for DWI, seventh offense, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. She has six previous convictions within the past 10 years and 12 convictions in her lifetime.
On Jan. 12, 2016, Clanton pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to DWI, sixth offense, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with eight years suspended. She was fined $900 and ordered to pay $300 in court costs.
Prosecutors filed a motion May 21 to revoke her suspended sentence, noting that she violated the conditions of the sentence when she was arrested again on a DWI count and that she has failed to make regular payments toward her fine and court costs.
A warrant for her arrest that was issued May 22 was served in open court during her arraignment in circuit court June 4.
According to the affidavit in Clanton's March 26 arrest, shortly before 1 a.m., Garland County sheriff's Deputy Richard Garrett was on patrol when he saw a Chevrolet Monte Carlo pull into the parking lot of Buddy Bean Lumber Co., and he stopped to check on it.
Clanton was driving and another woman was in the car, the affidavit said. Cpl. Jon Lane noted a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle, so the officers had the occupants get out, the affidavit said. Clanton told deputies that she pulled over because her friend was having medical problems, the affidavit said.
Lane reported that Clanton refused to cooperate when he tried to administer field sobriety tests. The officers noted Clanton's bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of intoxicants, slurred speech and an unsteady gait, according to the affidavit.
Clanton was "very belligerent" and wouldn't follow instructions, the affidavit said. She submitted to a portable breath test, which registered her blood alcohol content at 0.179 percent, more than twice the legal limit, according to the affidavit.
Before her 2016 conviction, Clanton was convicted of DWI on Aug. 21, 1994, in Pine Bluff; on May 9, 1999, in Hot Springs; on Feb. 9, 2002, in Hot Springs; on June 22, 2002, in Rockport in Hot Spring County; on June 15, 2004, in Garland County Circuit Court; on Sept. 23, 2005, in Hot Springs; on April 4, 2008, in Hot Springs; on Oct. 10, 2011, in Pine Bluff; on Jan. 20, 2012, in Pine Bluff; on April 1, 2012, in Hot Springs; and on April 5, 2014, in Grant County.
State Desk on 06/15/2018