Murfreesboro Police made an astonishing arrest involving a man accused of D.U.I. for the tenth time on January 25th. A mechanic from Millington, Tennessee who was visiting Rutherford County was pulled over this past Friday evening at 10:20 for failing to maintain control of his vehicle. The traffic stop was made on South Rutherford Boulevard.

Murfreesboro Officer M. Payne wrote in a report, “I made contact with the driver, 55-year old Felix Blackwood, who had an odor of an alcoholic intoxicant, red bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.” The officer requested the subject attempt a field sobriety test which he agreed. Blackwood failed the test and was arrested.

After the arrest was made, Officer Payne ran a routine driver’s license check on Blackwood. The status check of his license reveled that it was suspended and that he had four (4) prior convictions for driving on a suspended license. What is more surprising is that the suspect had nine (9) prior convictions for driving while under the influence (D.U.I.). The traffic stop on the 25th marked the 10th-time he had been charged with D.U.I. The man also had five (5) habitual offender convictions.

Felix Andrew Blackwood was charged with his 10th DUI, driving on a revoked license and as a habitual offender. The culprit, who was arrested in West Tennessee for D.U.I. in 2011, will appear in Rutherford County General Sessions Court on April 30, 2013.

Blackwood was booked under a $10,250 bond. He made that bond and was released from the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center less than six hours after being booked.

In Tennessee, the fourth DUI and any DUI after the fourth is considered a class E felony. In this case Blackwood faces his 10th D.U.I. If convicted of this class E felony it will require him to serve a minimum of 150-consecutive days in jail. There is also a mandatory fine of $3,000 to $15,000. The culprits’ vehicle can also be seized and the offenders’ driver’s license can be revoked for 5-years.

Because the suspect was charged as a habitual offender, if convicted, the reinstatement of his driver’s license can only be granted if the convicted offender petitions the court. Even in that case it is not guaranteed.