Gazebo Gazette
Earlier in the week, Gulfport resident John Richard Langston pled guilty to Driving Under the Influence (DUI) felony charge before Mississippi Second Circuit Court Judge Christopher Schmidt. Following the guilty plea, Judge Schmidt sentenced Langston to serve 7 years in prison without parole.
Previously, Langston was convicted of six DUI’s in misdemeanor and felony courts in Harrison County, which shows him as a habitual offender.
The Defendant was arrested by the Gulfport Police Department nearly two years ago in the evening where law enforcement conducted a routine traffic stop for speeding. The officer immediately smelled alcohol on Langston’s breath after making the stop.
Langston refused to provide a breath sample on scene and sobriety tests could not be performed due to pre-existing health concerns. On scene, the defendant denied consumption of alcohol, however changed the story.
“Based on the observation by the officer and the admission by the defendant, a search warrant for his blood was obtained and his blood was drawn at Memorial Hospital,” said Assistant District Attorney of the Mississippi Second Judicial District Mitch Owen. “The blood was tested by the Mississippi Crime Lab and it was determined that Langston’s blood alcohol was .139%, which is above the .08% legal limit.”
In court, Langston admitted to consuming six beers before getting behind the wheel to drive. Following his guilty plea, Langston admitted to being previously convicted of two felony DUI’s thereby allowing the prosecution to declare him a habitual offender and requiring him to serve a mandatory sentence and no early release.
