Man sentenced to life in prison for driving while intoxicated

Christopher Faran Stanford, 50, pleaded guilty on Monday to a felony charge of driving while intoxicated, according to a news release from the Parker County district attorney's office.

He then chose to have a jury determine his sentence, and the jury elected on life in prison.

Stanford had previous DWI convictions in Tarrant, Dallas, Rockwall and Johnson counties, and four of his earlier cases had resulted in prison sentences, officials said.

“His record showed that he was going to continue endangering communities throughout the Metroplex unless he was locked up," District Attorney Jeff Swain said in a news release.

Standfor's most recent DWI case was his first in Parker County. Officials said he ran a red light at the intersection of Farm Road 51 and Texas 171 and rear-ended another car in August.

The driver of the car that got rear-ended told troopers that Stanford ran away after the crash, saying, "I have to go -- I'm going to get in trouble." Stanford then jumped over a barbed wire fence, ripping his clothes in the process, officials said. About 30 minutes later, authorities said they found him hiding in brush.

“The video that we admitted into evidence showed Mr. Stanford being belligerent and having difficulty standing without help,” Assistant District Attorney Abby Placke said in the release. “At one point, he even tried to headbutt the Lifecare EMT that was trying to treat him. He was so drunk and obnoxious that the officers were unable to administer the field sobriety tests they normally perform. But it was clear that he was drunk, so he was arrested.”

Officials said Stanford's blood-alcohol concentration level at that stop was 0.267 -- more than three times the legal driving limit in Texas.

During his trial, prosecutors said, Stanford told jurors that he did not think he had an alcohol problem; instead, according to the press release, he told the court that he was just "very unlucky."

“I thought his testimony showed a lack of personal insight that was manifested in his lack of concern for others on our roads,” said Assistant District Attorney Skyler Schoolfield. “In our case, he was not just intoxicated, he was flat out drunk. With that level of intoxication and his high speed at the time of the accident, we really are lucky that the husband, wife, and teenage daughter in the other car only suffered minor injuries. This could have been much worse.”

Stanford received a life sentence but he will be eligible for parole in 15 years.