A 42-year-old Ranchos woman who admitted driving drunk three times in less than one year asked Monday that she be sentenced to the state's diversion program as an alternative to prison.
Kathy Olson was arrested Jan. 30 at Tillman and Kimmerling in the Gardnerville Ranchos with a blood-alcohol content of .30, nearly four times the legal limit of .08 for driving in Nevada.
She was on probation for two priors at the time of the arrest. She was convicted of drunk driving for arrests on March 27 and May 7 last year.
Prosecutor Laurie Trotter argued that Olson was not a good candidate for the 3-5-year diversion because of her high blood-alcohol content and her arrest record.
"She has consistently refused rehabilitation in prior cases," Trotter said.
Olson's lawyer, Tod Young, said his client was the type of person for whom the diversion program was designed.
He said Olson has recognized she has a severe alcohol problem.
Chief Probation Officer Doug Swalm said Olson did not do well on alternative sentencing supervision, but he recommended she be given another chance at rehabilitation.
"I never thought I had a problem," Olson said.
District Judge Michael Gibbons set sentencing for April 12.
He said he would change the date if Olson is accepted for in-patient treatment pending sentencing.
"Don't blow this," Gibbons said. "The whole point of this is getting treatment, otherwise you're in prison."
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