Texas man sentenced to life in prison after receiving 9th DWI

Weatherford, Texas, man previously served prison sentences for four DWIs in Tarrant, Dallas, Rockwall and Johnson counties

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/

April 24, 2023

A Weatherford, Texas, jury handed a sentence of life in prison to a man after he was convicted of his ninth DWI charge.

Christopher Faran Stanford, 50, pleaded guilty to felony DWI and chose to allow a jury of his Parker County peers to decide his punishment.

Stanford had eight DWIs prior to his guilty plea this week, four of which carried prison sentences in Tarrant, Dallas, Rockwall and Johnson counties, according to the Parker County District Attorney’s Office.

“His record showed that he was going to continue endangering communities throughout the Metroplex unless he was locked up,” Parker County DA Jeff Swain said in a release.

Stanford’s latest charge comes from a motor vehicle crash on Aug. 15, 2022, near Weatherford at the intersection of FM 51 and SH 171.

An investigation into the crash discovered that Stanford’s vehicle went through a red light and rear ended another vehicle.

Stanford got out of his vehicle, told the driver of the other vehicle that he had to go because he was going to get in trouble, then fled the scene on foot.

About 30 minutes after the crash, Stanford was spotted jumping over a barbed wire fence, on which he ripped his jeans and shirt.

Stanford was also accused of attempting to headbutt an EMT, who tried to treat him for his injuries.

At the time of the incident, the DA said, Stanford’s blood alcohol concentration was reportedly 0.267, or more than three times the legal limit of 0.08.

The DA added that Stanford testified during the punishment phase that he did not believe he had an alcohol problem, but instead, he was just “very unlucky.”

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles will ultimately decide when Stanford will be released, but he could be eligible as soon as the actual time served, plus good time credit amounts to 15 years.