Dominic Iacobelli’s second impaired-driving conviction sounded a lot like his first.
Just like back in the fall of 2020, when a judge said he put the public in peril, the Sarnia resident had slurred speech, his breath smelled like alcohol, and the red Dodge Avenger he was driving narrowly avoided a head-on collision.
The only difference this time was the vehicle he almost crashed directly into: a Sarnia police cruiser.
Two-plus years ago, Iacobelli, then 24, was fined a total of $4,000 for refusing to provide a breath sample and impaired driving. This time Iacobelli, now 26, got 30 days in jail.
He also received a warning.
“Well, it’s your second time around,” Justice George Orsini said. “You should understand if you’re back here again the sentences just continue to go up because, although you may otherwise be a functioning member of society, these are the type of offenses that wreak havoc and that’s why you’re going to jail, sir.”
The near-miss with the cruiser took place on London Road around 2:30 am on June 11. The officer did a U-turn that Saturday morning and Iacobelli’s Avenger hit a curb before finally pulling over. He told police he had three beers before driving.
At headquarters his estimate increased to four or five beers, but tests showed he was approaching three times the legal limit.
“You shouldn’t be anywhere near a vehicle and you should know that,” the judge said. “This isn’t even a, ‘Whoops, I had one too many.’ You’ve had many too many and with your record the 30 days is appropriate.”
Iacobelli, who was also banned from driving for two years, declined a chance to address the court.
A second charge Sarnia police ugly at the time was dropped.