Orange County man charged with 9th DUI in 6 years

FULLERTON, Calif. (KABC) -- A 52-year-old Orange County man was in court Monday after he was booked in January on DUI charges for the ninth time in six years.

Police arrested Derek Haskayne after he crashed his car Jan. 29 on South Lakeview Ave. in Placentia.

In the criminal complaint filed against Haskayne, Deputy District Attorney Nick Thomo cited four felony DUI convictions on the suspect's record.

"This individual still chooses to drive with a blood alcohol level much higher than the legal limit. And in this case, he was involved in a collision, he's endangering the community," Thomo said.

Police say Haskayne was driving on a suspended license without his required ignition interlock device and was in violation of his probation.

"He's not a monster. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, and thank God he hasn't," Haskayne's attorney, Marlin Stapleton Jr. said.

Stapleton said his client is a good man struggling with a serious addiction. "He's having a really difficult time dealing with what happened in his marriage."

Thomo said his office's aim is at averting a potential disaster.

"Our primary focus right now is protecting the community and preventing him from getting behind the wheel with any alcohol in his system in the future," Thomo said.

If convicted on the most recent charge, Haskayne faces a maximum of seven years in jail. His attorney says he hopes the court finds a balance of incarceration and rehabilitation.

Haskayne is due back in court on April 24. His bail has been set at $250,000.