KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A Kansas City, Kansas man prosecutors call a habitual drunk driver will now be placed on house arrest for his latest offense.
The top cop here at the Lansing Police Department isn’t holding back how he feels about the sentence handed down Friday to a Lloyd Henson, who is now convicted of his fifth dui in the past 10 years. It’s actually the 10th on Henson’s criminal record.
“You know my reaction is more like wow! It’s not appalled or anything,” said Chief Steve Wayman, of the Lansing Police Department.
Investigators say on the afternoon of September 29, 2011 a citizen first reported seeing a possible drunk driver. Within moments, police say a Lansing police officer drove along 7 Highway and saw 57-year-old Henson driving in the oncoming lane of traffic.
Police say Henson failed a sobriety test and had an open container in his cup holder.
What’s more, Henson’s driver’s license had been suspended in 2006 and police say he didn’t have any car insurance.
On Friday a Leavenworth County judge convicted the KCK man of driving while suspended and no proof of insurance. The sentence: six months of house arrest.
“There was a lot of indications that there was impairment and you know my guys did what they had to do on it,” said Chief Wayman.
Prosecutors had argued for the maximum 12 months sentence under Kansas law.
“There is a little bit of shock in it. I’m not. I don’t want to criticize. The judicial side that we have to work with and stuff, but I mean that is an amazing verdict to be handed down on a case like this for the number of convictions in his lifetime,” said Chief Wayman.
Henson will start serving his six months of house arrest next Friday.