Mason City man loses appeal of 15-year drunk driving sentence

MASON CITY — A Mason City man sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a habitual drunk driver has lost an appeal of his sentence.

63-year-old McKinley Dudley was pulled over in the 100 block of North Pennsylvania on the evening of March 22nd 2021 by a deputy who saw his vehicle did not have tail lights. Dudley was taken into custody after sobriety tests were conducted and it was determined that he was under the influence.

Dudley was charged with operating while intoxicated third offense as a habitual offender, eluding or attempting to elude law enforcement, as well as driving while revoked. Dudley previously had been convicted of OWI from cases in 2001, 2002 and 2009.

Dudley entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors that required Dudley to plead guilty to the OWI charge in exchange for dismissal of the other charges, with no agreement as to sentencing. The state recommended a 15-year prison sentence with a mandatory minimum sentence, while Dudley requested that he be granted probation and substance abuse treatment.

District Associate Judge Karen Kaufman Salic sentenced Dudley to 15 years in prison with a minimum three year requirement. Dudley appealed, claiming the district court abused its discretion by imposing a prison sentence.

The Iowa Court of Appeals affirmed the sentence in a ruling issued on Wednesday.