A sentencing hearing on a conviction of Driving Under the Influence-4th offense was held Monday morning in Dawson County District Court after being postponed Friday when the defendant showed up under the influence of alcohol. Judge Jim Doyle had ordered Brandon Rohde to the Dawson County Jail after a preliminary breath test of .18
Rohde of Lincoln and formerly from Arnold, was found guilty of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol- 4th Offense in Dawson County District Court last October 2022. The charge was amended from DUI-5th offense. Rohde had been released on bond. Among the conditions of bond were no alcohol and immediate arrest if violated.
Speaking on his own behalf at Monday’s sentencing, Rohde apologized to Judge Jim Doyle and the Court for the incident on Friday. He described it as “unacceptable”
and that he “knew better”. He concluded that he needed to work on his I(alcohol) problem because he said “I’m at a point to where I can’t do this anymore.”
Judge Doyle responded that he had compassion for Rohde saying he felt Rohde was “trapped in a substance abuse disorder” and needed help. But Judge Doyle also noted that Rohde had many opportunities in the past to address it through probation but did not take advantage of it. Judge Doyle commented on Rohde’s criminal record saying offenses involving alcohol, not all involving DUI’s, went all the way back to 1997. He continued that “at 43 you need to ask yourself what you want to do with the rest of your life.”
Judge Doyle sentenced Rohde, 5 to 7 years of incarceration, with credit for 5 days served. His driver’s license was also revoked for a period of 15 years.
Rohde is to be sentenced in Custer County District Court Thursday on a DUI conviction in that county. That arrest came about a month after his Dawson County arrest in the present case.
Judge Doyle said that Rohde’s Dawson County sentence could be served concurrently or at the same time as the upcoming Custer County sentence but he says that his sentencing order is not binding on the Court there. He said the Custer County District Court can sentence Rohde to whatever sentence they deem appropriate, including whether to serve the sentences concurrently at the same time or consecutively one after the other.
