Rathdrum man sent to prison following fifth lifetime DUI

A Rathdrum man was sentenced to prison Monday after being found guilty of his fifth lifetime DUI and probation violation, according to a press release from the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office.

The charge against Amos Edward Dodson, 53, stems from an incident July 7, 2023, in which an officer pulled Dodson over after witnessing him drive off the roadway and through a grassy swale before driving into a business parking lot. 

"Dodson admitted to the officer that he was drunk but refused to complete field sobriety evaluations," the release said.

Dodson provided two breath samples revealing a breath alcohol concentration of 0.193/0.211, the release said. 

Dodson failed to appear for court early on in the case and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. He remained on the run for two and a half years until he was located and arrested in South Carolina, the release said.

Felony DUI is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 

Dodson’s criminal history includes convictions for assault, malicious mischief, disturbing the peace, leaving the scene of an accident with damage, possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as four prior convictions for DUI. 

At the time of this case, Dodson was also on felony probation for unlawfully killing a cow elk in 2022. 

At sentencing, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Art Verharen recommended a 10-year prison sentence with parole eligibility after five years in the new DUI case and that Dodson’s probation be revoked and sentence imposed in the probation case. 

District Judge Regina McCrea sentened Dodson to an eight-year prison sentence with parole eligibility after four years in the new case and revoked Dodson’s probation and imposed the sentence in the probation case.