Reno man convicted of DUI in Lassen County; sentencing set for next month

A jury has convicted a 37-year-old Reno man of DUI in Lassen County.

The Lassen County District Attorney's Office says Somethonit Phoumychack was convicted earlier this month of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more.

Prosecutors say the jury also found true special allegations that Phoumychack refused to submit to a chemical test and had an elevated blood alcohol content of over .20%.

Authorities say a concerned citizen called 911 to report Phoumychack after seeing him at Hallelujah Junction. A CHP officer from Quincy responded after prosecutors say he refused a field sobriety test and chemical test, a search warrant was obtained and showed he had an alcohol content of .25%.

This past Monday, in a separate proceeding, prosecutors say Phoumychack admitted to having two prior convictions for DUI in 2016 and 2018.

Sentencing will be scheduled for a date in January. There is a statutory minimum jail time required of 120 days for a third DUI, a maximum of up to one year.

The Lassen County District Attorney's Office says its office has filed 145 DUI cases this year - an average of one DUI driver every 2.5 days.