LOGAN — A 56-year-old Salt Lake City man has been sentenced to prison for driving under the influence of alcohol in Cache Valley, his 11th DUI conviction.
Aaron Martin Clark acknowledged that he needed help after prosecutors warned the defendant’s actions were going to kill somebody.
Clark was sentenced Monday, Dec. 2, in Logan’s 1st District Court. He previously accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to driving under the influence with prior convictions, a third-degree felony.
Cache County Deputy Attorney Joshua Duty explained how Clark was arrested on Oct. 10, driving and towing a trailer. It was missing a light and wheel, throwing sparks along the roadway.
“If Clark’s behavior doesn’t change, a death is going to occur,” warned Duty.
Defense attorney Kenneth Peterson said Clark acknowledged to having an addiction to alcohol. He explained how his client was seeking help for an alcohol addiction and making progress but his insurance stopped covering the treatment.
Clark admitted to needing more treatment and said it was unfortunate that his insurance stopped helping him.
Judge Spencer Walsh said the fact that Clark had 11 convictions for driving under the influence was “totally ridiculous.” He called the defendant’s decision to get behind the wheel “a selfish act.”
Clark has been in the Cache County Jail since his October arrest. He was ordered to serve a term of zero-to-five-years at the Utah State Correctional Facility and then be placed on probation for an indeterminate length of time.