Winnemucca resident Christian Gonzalez was ordered to carry out a maximum nearly six-year prison sentence last week after being convicted of felony driving under the influence of alcohol third offense in a November 2020 jury trial.
The category B felony in Nevada carries a potential penalty of one to six years in Nevada State Prison and a maximum $5,000 fine.
Gonzalez pleaded “not guilty” to the charge after being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol third offense with two prior convictions in the past seven years on August 29, 2019, at the age of 22 prior to the jury trial.
The jury trial was originally scheduled for May 2020 and postponed once COVID-19 restrictions were placed on the courts in mid-march.
The jury trial was held at the Winnemucca Convention Center in November to allow for the social distance-spaced seats for everyone and masks were worn.
Gonzalez was convicted of driving his vehicle through two apartment complex parking areas and hitting a parked pickup truck with his vehicle, then drove further up the street while being under the influence of alcohol.
Two blood samples presented during the trial indicated that Gonzalez’s blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit within two hours of the incident.
When he was arrested on August 29, Gonzalez was also charged with misdemeanor open container, hit and run, failure to report an accident, and duty to stop with a total bail of $22,835.
In multiple recent scheduled hearings, Gonzalez did not appear whie being detained at the Humboldt County Detention Center and jail deputies reported that he would not “come out of his cell” for the hearing.
Last week, Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Michael Montero gathered sworn deputy testimony regarding Gonzalez’s refusal to attend the hearing and ordered the 24-70 month sentence in absentia with Gonzalez’s attorney Humboldt County Public Defender Matt Stermitz present, with 204 days credit for time served given.
Gonzalez was also ordered to pay a $3 DNA collection fee, $25 administrative assessment fee, $60 forensic fee, $1,000 public defender fee and $2,000 fine. No restitution for the incident was requested by any victims.
