Derek Stacy Haskayne, 53, was sentenced to four years in state prison after his 9th DUI conviction in past six years. Late last month, Haskayne entered a guilty plea to felony driving under the influence. He had been required to install an ignition interlock device after a prior conviction but refused to do so. In a plea deal from Orange County Superior Court Judge Roger Robbins he was ordered to pay $15,272.54 in restitution. The latest arrest occurred after he crashed his vehicle into a Southern California Edison electrical box.
Felony charges for driving under the influence can be filed if it is a 4th or subsequent lifetime drunk driving arrest. Here, Haskayne well exceeded that requirement. It is unclear whether prison will be a deterrent as Haskayne had already served two years in state prison for a previous drunk driving conviction. Haskayne’s alcohol dependency was not the only problem. Laguna Police Officers arrested him after he straddled lanes and failed to yield to police. He eventually collided with a light pole. Police found a prescription bottle of GHB.
Many people can be helped with alcohol monitoring through devices such as the SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring device. Alcohol dependency is a serious problem that can be dangerous for the individual and for the community-at-large. It is important that people who cannot or should not be drinking, be held accountable to their sobriety. Many times, a number of different strategies working in collaboration are the most effective. The SCRAM CAM bracelet requires accountability as it monitors alcohol consumption 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.