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NILES — A Buchanan man with a history of drinking and driving is going back to prison.

     Richard Lee Chapman, 58, of Buchanan, pleaded guilty to third offense drunk driving and was sentenced to 20 months to five years in prison Monday in Berrien County Trial Court. He has credit for 83 days already served and must pay $198 in fines and costs.

     The incident occurred June 24 in Galien Township.

     Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Jerry Vigansky noted that this was Chapman’s seventh drunk driving conviction and that Chapman had been just released from parole for another prison sentence in November, 2023.

“In just seven months, he’s back drinking and driving,” he said. “He’s lucky he didn’t kill himself or others.”

Defense attorney Shayne Williams asked for probation. “He has a place to stay when he gets out,” she said. “He knows he made poor decisions. He wants to get treatment.”

Berrien County Trial Court Judge Jennifer Smith said she agreed with Vigansky’s assessment that Chapman is a danger. “You continue to make the same mistake over and over, I 100 percent agree with Mr. Vigansky,” she said. “You are a danger to yourself and others. You do not seem to be able to control your drinking and driving.”

“You’re just off parole and out of prison and you’re back drinking and driving,” she added. “Whatever you did (in terms of treatment) last time didn’t work. This is what the rest of your life will look like unless you change. You can’t continue to put others in danger, I can’t allow it.”