Drunken driver sentenced to 240 days in jail

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A 31-year-old Modesto man was sentenced to 240 days in jail after he got behind the wheel of his vehicle while drunk, driving it over a curb and across three lawns.

His Chevrolet Tahoe finally came to rest after hitting three trees. Dwain Gullat was convicted after a three-day jury trial in which he was charged with driving under the influence, having a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent or more, hit and run, and driving on a suspended license.

On Nov. 21, 2008, about 11:30 p.m., Gullat was driving north on North McClure Road in Modesto. After the crash, Gullat jumped out of the Tahoe and ran home, where officers found him 10 minutes later. A blood test revealed that Gullat's blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Other sentences announced Friday by the Stanislaus County district attorney's office:

Julian Luna Ornelas, 33, of Modesto was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of possession of methamphetamine for sale, evading a peace officer, and resisting arrest. On May 1 about 7:45 p.m. near Ninth and D streets in Modesto, an officer in a marked patrol car activated his lights and siren to perform a routine traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Ornelas.

Ornelas continued to drive the vehicle at an extremely slow speed and appeared to be stuffing something under the seats.

Ornelas finally stopped the vehicle but would not cooperate with the officer and refused to show his hands. After numerous commands, Ornelas eventually got out of the car with his hands raised.

Suddenly, Ornelas lunged back into the vehicle and appeared to be reaching for something. Ornelas was handcuffed shortly thereafter.

Inside the car, officers discovered that Ornelas had a police scanner capable of monitoring law enforcement communications, a digital scale, packaging material and $764. The officers also discovered six individually wrapped bindles of methamphetamine.

Kurtis Smith, 17, of Fresno was sentenced to six years in state prison after being convicted of carjacking and admitting to personally inflicting great bodily injury on the victim of the carjacking.

On June 15, in Turlock, Smith was living in a group home. He and a fellow group home resident beat up a 60-year-old female caretaker and took her vehicle.

Both were arrested in Fresno within a couple of days of the attack.

The caretaker suffered a broken rib and several bruises.

Freddy Figueroa Toscano, 19, of Turlock was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of possession of an assault weapon for sale and possession of a loaded firearm by a gang member.

On Aug. 18 in Turlock, the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force conducted a search of Toscano's residence on West Bradbury Road. The search of To- scano's home yielded several guns, including an illegal SKS assault weapon.

During a subsequent traffic stop, Toscano was found to be in possession of a loaded .25-caliber handgun.