Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

boulder city:

Ex-council member sentenced to 25 days in jail released within hours

Judge reconsiders sentence, places Karla Burton on house arrest

Karla Burton

With her attorneys Jack Howard and John Watkins, right, at her side, former Boulder City Councilwoman Karla Burton blows a .115 blood-alcohol content during her court-mandated breathalyzer test. Burton appeared before Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle on Tuesday afternoon in connection with her arrest Feb. 6, 2007, on a felony drunken driving charge. Launch slideshow »

Former Boulder City Councilwoman Karla Burton was at home within hours of being sentenced on Tuesday to 25 days in the Clark County Detention Center after appearing drunk in a special DUI Court.

Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle suspended the 25 days and allowed Burton to go directly to house arrest after reconsidering her decision Tuesday.

Burton, who was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence in February 2007, had agreed to a plea deal that required her to enter the Moderate Offender Program. While making her first appearance in that program before Oesterle, she failed a Breathalyzer test, showing a blood alcohol level of 0.115, over the legal limit to drive of 0.08.

Burton said she had not been driving, but under terms of the program she is not supposed to drink at all.

Oesterle sentenced her to 25 days in the county jail for contempt of court, and Burton was led from the courtroom in handcuffs. But at the end of the day’s court session, lawyers John Watkins and Jack Howard asked Oesterle to reconsider, according to the court record.

The attorneys argued that Burton had pleaded guilty to driving under the influence before a different judge and had not been given Oesterle’s usual stern verbal warning to stay away from alcohol, Oesterle’s executive assistant said.

“After the judge considered all of the facts ... she decided one more chance was warranted,” Executive Assistant Tracy Cordoba said. “They believe they have her attention now.”

While on house arrest, Burton will wear a GPS anklet to monitor her location and a SCRAM anklet that checks for alcohol use, Cordoba said. She was also required to obtain a breath interlock device, which attaches to an automobile and disables it if the driver has been drinking. Burton has already obtained all of the devices, Cordoba said.

In addition, Burton has entered counseling and is working on the other terms of the program, she said.

If Burton fails to complete the program, she will serve the 25 days, as well as a six-month suspended sentence Oesterle imposed during Tuesday's hearing and any sentence that might be added for the original DUI.

Burton, who declined to comment on her court appearance, said she was determined to follow the rules.

“I’m committed to doing the program and following through with everything the judge is requiring of me,” she said.

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