Coeur d’Alene man gets prison for DUI

COEUR d’ALENE — A man who repeatedly absconded before going on trial for driving under the influence will spend up to a decade in prison. 

In June, a jury convicted Braden P. Lane, 36, of Coeur d’Alene, of driving under the influence, a felony. 

First District Judge John Mitchell sentenced Lane this week to 10 years in prison, the maximum possible penalty, with parole eligibility after six years. Mitchell also ordered that Lane’s driver’s license be suspended for five years after his release from prison. 

The charge stems from February 2022, when prosecutors said Lane crashed into another vehicle while speeding, injuring the other driver. At the time of the crash, Lane’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.21, nearly three times the legal limit. 

Lane had previous convictions for misdemeanor DUI offenses in 2016 and 2019. Under Idaho law, a third DUI conviction within 10 years can constitute a felony. 

Lane failed to appear for trial in September 2023, according to prosecutors, and was arrested on a bench warrant a month later. He was reportedly released from jail on his own recognizance and again failed to appear in court. 

Police arrested Lane in March on another bench warrant. He remained in custody through the trial and sentencing.