Published: May 15, 2008 03:09 am      

Elkhart man awaits sentencing

PALESTINE — A 48-year-old Elkhart man whom authorities say has multiple drunk driving convictions will be sentenced this summer by a local state district judge after being found guilty of a felony DWI.

A five-man, seven-woman jury deliberated for approximately one hour Monday afternoon at the Anderson County Courthouse before finding William Thomas Lantrip Jr., 47, of Elkhart guilty of felony DWI.

A pre-sentencing investigation has been ordered by 87th State District Judge Deborah Oakes Evans. The judge also set Lantrip’s sentencing hearing for July 17.

Based on a “double enhancement” due to previous convictions, Lantrip now faces between 25 and 99 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, according to Stanley Sokolowski, Anderson County assistant district attorney.

Sokolowski said Lantrip has been convicted of at least six DWIs, in addition to a pair of convictions for aggravated assault.

“He (Lantrip) has an extensive criminal history that should come out during punishment,” Sokolowski said Wednesday.

During the late afternoon hours of Nov. 26, 2006, Lantrip was clocked driving 91 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour speed zone by Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Lynn Hubert, according to the assistant district attorney.

Lantrip performed field sobriety tests which were shown on video to the jury, but refused to submit to a blood/alcohol test, according to the state.

Hubert was the lone witness in the trial which started and concluded on Monday.

“We were still able to convict him even after his refusal to be tested,” Sokolowski said. “They still found the officer credible and convicted the guy.”

In the future, Sokolowski said the state intends to begin seeking evidentiary search warrants for blood in cases where suspects refuse to take a blood/alcohol test.

Lantrip was represented by local attorney Bill House.

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com