Drunk driving case gets a plea
May 17—From Staff Reports
Pauls Valley Democrat
A lengthy deferred sentence has been handed to a semi truck driver who last year was drunk and reckless when traveling through Garvin County.
The recent sentence for Bobby Artell Marks, 42, came as a plea deal was reached on three counts filed against him just about one year ago.
It was back on April 3, 2023 when Pauls Valley police were contacted about a truck driving recklessly as it traveled southbound on Interstate 35.
Officials were told the truck had run numerous vehicles off the highway as it was spotted near the main exit into Pauls Valley.
With a couple of patrol cars in pursuit, sirens blaring and emergency lights on, officers reported seeing the truck swerving from the center median to a ditch on the far right side of the roadway.
The truck was finally stopped a few miles south of Pauls Valley as its brakes apparently locked up forcing it to come to a stop.
At gunpoint officers ordered the driver out as Marks was "extremely" unsteady on his feet. They reported he had a strong odor of alcohol on him at the time.
Those same officers also reported Marks had a pistol in a holster on his hip, along with a 30-round magazine of ammunition in his pocket.
Tests showed Marks was more than double over the legal limit for blood alcohol content as he was taken into custody.
The trio of charges filed at that time against Marks, including a felony count of attempting to elude officers, were a part of last week's plea deal in a Garvin County District courtroom.
A new plea on all three counts resulted in Marks being sentenced to a seven-year term, an order to write an apology letter to a county sheriff's deputy involved in last year's chase.
Marks is also ordered to attend DUI school as his sentence includes two years of probation.
