Man sentenced to 20 years in prison after over a dozen drunk driving arrests

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man who has a record 16 drunken driving convictions and numerous violations of driving without a license probably won't be back on the streets soon.

Steven L. Viers Jr., 55, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday for his 15th and 16th convictions. He was found guilty by a Linn County jury in March for OWI, third offense, as a habitual offender, and driving while barred. Viers pleaded guilty in July to his other most recent OWI, third offense, from 2013, and driving while barred.

Judge Mary Chicchelly of the 6th Judicial District sentenced him to 15 years on the OWI habitual charge and five years on the other OWI, running the sentences consecutively.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden asked Chicchelly to sentence Viers to 22 years, which included two years for the driving-while-barred charges. Vander Sanden admitted a lengthy prison time is unusual for drunken driving charges, but 'if anyone deserves it, Mr. Viers does.”

Vander Sanden said Viers has no regard for laws. He has continued to drive intoxicated and without a license multiple times.

'He's 55 years old and has been involved in the justice system for 30 years,” Vander Sanden said. 'He's had chances for rehabilitation and treatment. He's been charged with driving while barred seven times. What's most surprising is that he hasn't been involved in a fatality, but there was a collision in one of these.”

Viers backed out of a driveway on Mount Vernon Road and hit another car driving down the street, Vander Sanden said. He then drove back in the driveway and parked. The other driver called police and identified Viers, who was at the house where he parked his car.

Lisa Casey was driving the car he hit. She gave a victim's impact statement, saying she repeatedly honked at Viers when he was backing out but he didn't stop. She was between two other cars.

'I felt trapped and terrified,” Casey said. 'My son was in the passenger seat. He wasn't injured, but ...”

Casey said Viers then got out of his car, after pulling back in the driveway, and lied, saying he wasn't driving.

Viers asked the judge to send him to the Anchor Center for residential treatment and rehabilitation. He admitted he has a substance abuse problem and has other health problems.

Chichelly said she was giving Viers prison time because she thinks this would provide him with the best opportunity to get rehabilitation and treatment. She said he had a significant substance abuse problem and put himself and others in the community at risk.

Chicchelly said she is concerned if she doesn't send Viers to prison this time, he or someone else would end up dead. She said she hopes he comes out a changed person.

Viers also has a pending OWI in Johnson County. That charge will run concurrently to the two Linn cases.