Man gets second prison term for drunk driving

A 68-year-old Gardnerville man was sentenced Monday to a second prison term for driving under the influence, admitting he drank after 14 years of sobriety.

"You had more than 10 years of sobriety," District Judge Michael Gibbons told Wesley Barber. "It's sad to see you back here knowing how well you had done for so long."

Because of his age and health, Gibbons sentenced Barber to six years in prison, with a minimum parole eligibility of two years. He also fined Barber $2,000.

Barber faced a maximum of 15 years in prison for his second felony offense. He was arrested July 16 on Highway 395 and Industrial Way with a blood-alcohol content of .23, nearly three times the legal limit of .08 for driving in Nevada.

Because he had a prior felony conviction, the DUI arrest automatically results in another prison term. Barber was not eligible for probation.

Barber's lawyer, Derrick Lopez, said his client started drinking after he lost his family's ancestral home to the Washoe Tribe after losing a federal lawsuit.

"He lost property that had been in his family for six generations," Lopez said. "He has a number of health issues and no employment."

Prosecutors said Barber had at least 10 alcohol-related arrests and convictions.

"The Mr. Barber you see today has 50 years of history, but 14 years without an incident," Lopez said. "This was a relapse in a very true sense. He knows it is not a healthy way to deal with it. It is not his intention to drink again."

--Trial is set Jan. 6 for an Indian Hills couple who pleaded not guilty in connection with alleged sales of methamphetamine from their home.

Maude Cox, 51, pleaded not guilty to trafficking in a controlled substance. Her 48-year-old husband, Kevin Cox, pleaded not guilty to principal to the offense of trafficking in a controlled substance.

The Coxes were arrested July 11 by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Street Enforcement Team at their home in the 3500 block of Cherokee Drive in Jacks Valley.

They are accused of proving 5.5 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover informant.