Tyler

A 56-year-old Tyler man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his fifth driving while intoxicated conviction.

Cecil Buttram pleaded guilty to the DWI charge, which was enhanced to a third-degree felony because of his four prior convictions. A Smith County jury in 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent’s court sentenced the defendant to the maximum sentence Tuesday evening.

On Dec. 9, the defendant’s motorcycle was stalled at the intersection of Texas Highway 64 West and Loop 323 and Tyler police officer Luis Aparicio went to talk to the man after spotting him standing by the bike, Assistant Smith County District Attorney Jason Parrish said.

The officer talked to the defendant and several witnesses, who said Buttram was unable to hold the bike up. Parrish said the defendant performed “horribly” on field sobriety tests and blew a blood alcohol content of .18, more than twice the legal limit of intoxication.

Buttram received his prior DWI convictions in 1983, 1984 and 2000 in Smith County and in 1999 in Henderson County.

The defendant was represented by Kelly Pace, while Assistant District Attorney Richard Vance prosecuted the case with Parrish.