DAYTON - The lead guitarist for the now-defunct 1960s group "The Turtles," was sentenced Wednesday to six months in jail for being convicted of drunken driving while on probation for a previous DUI conviction.
Dayton Justice Court Judge William Rogers revoked Allen Gilbert Nichol's sentence from 2002 when he was arrested May 31, 2004, on another drunken-driving charge.
"I don't know what to tell you, Mr. Nichol," the judge said Wednesday. "It's sad that you've taken a successful life and turned it into the town drunk."
At the time of the 2004 arrest, Nichol's blood-alcohol level was .311, nearly three times the legal limit of .08, according to court documents. When he initially appeared for sentencing on Jan. 12, a preliminary breath test done at the courthouse revealed his blood-alcohol level at .19. He was then found in contempt of court and sentenced to 21 days in jail, which he finished serving Tuesday.
Immediately following the hearing, Nichol was handcuffed and led from the courtroom by deputies.
In 1967, "The Turtles" song "Happy Together" spent three weeks at no. 1 on the Top 40 charts and went on to be the biggest hit of the year. The group produced several other No. 1 hits before disbanding in 1970.
According to Deputy District Attorney Mark Bongard, Nichol still receives royalties from his work with the band.
The group's official Web site lists Nichol as a paint company representative in Nevada.
n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
