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Facebook story: How DWI offenders get back on the streets
Posted: 04.12.2011 at 6:28 PM
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Michael Adams is a classic example of a chronic DWI offender. He has five prior alcohol related offenses and hasn't had a valid drivers license since 1994.

But that didn't stop him from driving drunk twice in the last month.

So how has this happened?

Governor Nixon even signed a priority bill into law last summer that promised to track repeat offenders.

But even with the new electronic tracking system, we discovered there are still plenty of repeat offenders on the road.

Last year, the state shows 688 offenders with two or more DWI's were arrested.

273 offenders with 3 or more convictions were arrested, and there were 239 offenders arrested with 4 or more alcohol related convictions.

Cole County Sheriff's Captain John Wheeler said, "Driving while intoxicated is a problem in every county".

Adams and others are able to get back on the streets because as soon as they're arrested they can post bail and wait for their trial. The change in last years law did nothing to change how repeat offenders are treated before convicted.

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