Felony DUI Leads to Life in Prison

A Canadian man with a long history of drunk driving has been sentenced to life in prison for running down and killing a woman in a wheelchair, the Associated Press reported Sept. 9.

A Quebec judge imposed the sentence on Roger Walsh, 57, who struck and killed Anee Khudaverdian, 47, while driving drunk. Walsh had 18 previous convictions for driving while impaired as well as 114 previous convictions on a variety of other offenses.

It was the first life sentence ever handed down for drunk driving by a Canadian court. Lawyers for Walsh had asked for a 10-year sentence; Judge Michel Mercier, who called Walsh incorrigible, imposed a sentence even harsher than that requested by prosecutors.