Falls Man Faces 10 Years in Prison After 12th Drunken Driving Charge

Edward South of Highpoint Lane in Cuyahoga Falls will be sentenced soon for two third-degree felonies after a jury found him guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence. 

Specifications were added to his charge for having five prior offenses in the last 20 years. 

“This is Mr. South’s twelfth OVI conviction in the last 25 years,” said Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh in a prepared statement. “He clearly has not learned his lesson and remains a danger to society as long as he has access to a vehicle and our roadways.”

South, 70, has a prior felony OVI conviction from Portage County as well. 

South crashed into a pole on Dec. 26, 2012 in Cuyahoga Falls and walked away from the scene. No one was injured in the crash. Cuyahoga Falls police tracked South to his daughter’s house. South later blew a .087 in a breath test, according to officials. He was driving on a suspended license at the time of the crash.

South will be sentenced by Judge Tammy O'Brien on May 23 — he faces up to 10 years in prison.