Oakdale woman sentenced to prison for third DUI

An Oakdale woman was sentenced to 16 months in state prison for her third drunk driving conviction, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.

Amber Howe was on felony probation for a 2013 felony drunk driving conviction when she was pulled over for speeding by Oakdale police in August.

Officers noted obvious signs of intoxication and she was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. A chemical test showed her blood alcohol level to be 0.21 percent, nearly three times the legal limit.

Howe’s 2013 conviction stemmed from a traffic collision in November 2013 in which she ran a red light at a Modesto intersection, causing a chain reaction that injured several people. A breath test showed her blood alcohol level to be about 0.18 percent.

Howe pleaded guilty to felony drunk driving causing injury and admitted having a previous misdemeanor drunk driving conviction from 2011. She was given five years of probation, ordered to serve 270 days in jail and make restitution to the victims she injured.

On Thursday, Howe pleaded no-contest to the August drunk driving charge, admitted having a prior felony drunk driving conviction and admitted violating her probation by committing a new crime while on probation.

This story was originally published May 9, 2016 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Oakdale woman sentenced to prison for third DUI."