Jurors sentence Conroe man to 99 years for 16th DWI

James Steven Corley, 52, sentenced to 99 years in prison for his 16th driving while intoxicated charge. James Steven Corley, 52, sentenced to 99 years in prison for his 16th driving while intoxicated charge. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Jurors sentence Conroe man to 99 years for 16th DWI 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Jurors on Wednesday sentenced a Conroe man to 99 years in prison for his 16th driving while intoxicated charge.

James Steven Corley, 52, was facing 25 years to life for the third-degree felony charge of driving while intoxicated, third or more. Assistant District Attorney Mary Nan Huffman introduced evidence to jurors in the 221st state District Court of Judge Lisa Michalk that Corley had 15 previous DWI convictions from two states and multiple Texas counties.

He also has previous convictions for other crimes, including escape, assault and theft, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

Corley was stopped Aug. 28, 2010, for a busted taillight on his vehicle and for weaving within his lane of traffic. A Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy called in a DWI unit because he believed Corley was impaired. A second deputy conducted standardized field sobriety tests, which Corley failed.

A blood sample showed Corley’s alcohol level was 0.05 to 0.10, but he also had a prescribed seizure medication in his system adding to his impairment, according to the DA’s Office. Mike Manes, with the new Sam Houston State University Crime Lab in The Woodlands, testified the combination of the alcohol and medication would result in Corley’s impairment.

Manes’ testimony marks the first time a member of the new crime lab has testified, Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam, head of the Vehicular Crimes Unit for the DA’s Office, stated in a release.

During Corley’s arrest for the DWI, he was fleeing from a burglary and assault of his girlfriend, one of the MCSO deputies testified.

Prosecutors showed during the trial that Corley has taken no steps to address his habit of drinking and driving, and Corley testified that he never thinks about the people he could kill when driving while impaired.

After finding Corley guilty, jurors deliberated about an hour before sentencing him. Corley will not be eligible for parole until his actual time served and any good conduct time he has earned equals one-fourth of his sentence, according to the DA’s Office.