Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Ruben Rene Rojas, 48, faces a prison sentence between 10 to 15 years after being convicted by a jury to his seventh aggravated DUI.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A man’s inability to stop himself from driving while under the influence of alcohol could cost him 15 years of his life.
On Thursday, Aug. 9, it took a 9-person jury less than two hours to convict Ruben Rene Rojas, 48, on charges of DUI, aggravated DUI, and extreme DUI with a blood/alcohol concentration of more than .20 percent. It was Rojas’ seventh aggravated DUI conviction.
Graham County deputy attorneys Scott R. Adams and Daniel Taylor represented the state while Rojas was represented by Dennis P. McCarthy.
Rojas’ license was already suspended for his prior DUI’s and he was on probation for a DUI as well. His probation was terminated Aug. 2 after a petition to revoke was filed with the court. At that time, Rojas was ordered to three years and nine months in the Arizona Department of Corrections, with a credit of 401 days served.
Because he was already on probation when he got his last DUI, Rojas faces a minimum presumptive sentence of 10 years on his latest DUI, with the possibility of 15 years if the judge finds aggravators. He is also facing additional charges of failure to appear in court and a separate case regarding possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of a narcotic drug, possession of a dangerous drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Rojas is due in court for sentencing for his latest DUI on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. At that time, he will also have a pretrial conference on his drug and failure to appear cases.
