PORT ANGELES — A Sequim man was sentenced Thursday to 13 months in prison for driving drunk and as part of a plea deal prosecutors have agreed not to file another felony DUI charge.
Jeremiah Allen Joyce, 26, pleaded guilty last week to felony DUI for what became his fourth DUI conviction in less than 10 years.
“I understand that I am an alcoholic and I don’t want to go down this road anymore because it’s ruining my life,” Joyce said during sentencing Thursday. “I want to apologize to everyone.”
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jesse Espinoza said that he hopes the sentence, which includes 12 months of community custody following prison, will give Joyce a chance to address his dependency issue.
“I can’t imagine that Mr. Joyce as he sits here is in a place where he would want to be in his life at this young age,” Espinoza said. “Our hope is this recommendation — which does involve prison time and community custody — hopefully this will keep the community safe and allow Mr. Joyce to make some changes in his life.”
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Lauren Erickson followed the recommendation.
He has been convicted of driving under the influence three other times within the past 10 years — in 2011, 2013 and 2017 — and has been arrested twice since August for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court records.
A State Patrol trooper arrested Joyce on Sept. 22 after contacting him for driving 64 mph on the 45 mph section of U.S. Highway 101 near Deer Park Road, court records say.
The trooper wrote in his report that Joyce had “severely slurred” speech and that passengers said Joyce was driving them from a bar in downtown Port Angeles to Sequim.
Joyce also was arrested the morning of Aug. 11 after Officer Tyler Mueller saw a truck pulling onto Front Street in downtown Port Angeles, court papers said.
The truck was revving its engine as it inched forward toward the street, Mueller wrote in his report.
When Mueller approached the driver’s side window, he said he could smell alcohol and saw what appeared to be clear liquor in a cup holder.
Espinoza said the state had been waiting for blood results from the Aug. 11 incident, but was willing to drop that charge if it meant Joyce would go to prison sooner.
“For this particular individual it is more important that he is removed from the streets earlier than waiting,” for the blood results, Espinoza said.
Joyce’s attorney Karen Unger said the recommendation was fair and that Joyce has sought treatment for his alcoholism.
“He takes full responsibility for what he’s done,” Unger said. “He doesn’t seem to be able to stop driving.”
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsula dailynews.com.
