By Katie Curley Katzman
SALEM — A Charlton man arrested in Amesbury on his 11th drunken driving charge with a bottle of blackberry brandy between his legs will serve state prison time for what prosecutors deemed his fifth or subsequent DUI conviction yesterday.
Jason W. Wetteland, 40, pleaded guilty in Salem Superior Court yesterday to DUI, fifth offense, negligent driving and driving after license suspension (subsequent offense). He was sentenced by Judge John Lu to up to five years in Massachusetts Correctional Institution Cedar Junction for the OUI charge and eight years' probation for the charge of negligent driving. His license to drive was revoked, and Wetteland has been serving a six-month sentence for driving after license revocation.
That six-month sentence in the house of correction was deemed served, where he has been committed and has a 180-day credit.
This is Wetteland's seventh drunken-driving conviction. His prior convictions were out of the Dudley, Worcester and East Brookfield District Courts in 1988, 1990, two in 1991, as well as convictions in 1999 and 2002.
Essex Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Kirshenbaum told the court that if the case had gone to trial, the commonwealth would have presented evidence that on the evening of Aug. 1, 2009, Wetteland nearly caused a multi-car accident on Route 110 in Amesbury. The incident was witnessed by Amesbury police officer Carl LeSage, who immediately pulled Wetteland over.
Wetteland was caught drunken driving when he turned off Interstate 495 in Amesbury and onto Route 110 in his 1992 red Ford Explorer.
Police said they noticed him driving erratically around 7:30 on a Saturday evening. Police said Wetteland began to take a hard right turn into the Irving gas station before veering back onto the roadway, causing half a dozen vehicles to make evasive maneuvers to avoid the car.
According to the police report, when police pulled Wetteland over, the smell of alcohol could be detected 6 to 10 feet from the car.
"Wetteland stated, 'I'm drunk — you know it, I know it; I'm not going to deny it,'" the report said.
Wetteland refused to take a sobriety test, and when police searched the vehicle, they found a 12-pack of Bud Light with eight full cans of beer. Wetteland had a beer can within reach, as well as an open bottle of Mr. Boston Blackberry Brandy.
During booking at Amesbury police station, Wetteland made light of the situation, according to police.
"When asked if he thought it was a joke, he said, 'I've been doing this all along. This is what I do,'" the report said.
According to his sentence, Wetteland must also receive treatment for drugs and alcohol, remain drug and alcohol free and submit to random screens. He also will not be able to use a motor vehicle and will face fines totaling $540.
