Breath Test Refusal Lands New Port Richey Man In Prison For 12 Years
Donald Hancock was found not guilty of DUI by a jury of his peers but that wasn’t good enough to save him from a violation of probation charge that has landed him a 12 year prison sentence. A Circuit Judge ruled that Hancock, though not guilty of the DUI, violated his probation for refusing to take a breath test on the night of his arrest. The judge ruled that refusal showed a consciousness of guilt.
Hancock was on probation stemming from a 1996 DUI manslaughter conviction. The 46-year-old was sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing his wife in a drunk driving accident. His blood-alcohol level that night was 0.25. According to TBO.com Hancock had complied with his probation up until the time of his latest arrest. The judge felt the 1996 DUI incident was not isolated considering the latest turn of events.
