Cedar Rapids man convicted of OWI for 15th time

CEDAR RAPIDS - A jury found a Cedar Rapids man guilty of operating while intoxicated Tuesday, marking his 15th OWI conviction in Linn County.

The jury only deliberated about an hour before convicting Steven L. Viers, 54, of third-offense OWI and driving while barred. He faces up to 17 years in prison. His sentencing is set for May 5.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said Viers has several other convictions including burglary, theft, interference with officials acts, driving while barred and driving on a suspended license in Linn County, plus an OWI conviction in Johnson County. He also has a pending third-offense OWI and driving while barred trial set for May 26 in Linn County.

According to testimony this week, a police officer out on patrol about midnight April 10, 2013 said she saw Viers stop his car at the intersection of H Avenue and Shaver Road NE. He then accelerated, pulled over to the curb and parked in front of a business. She then saw Viers get out of his car and run over and hide behind a tractor-trailer, which she thought was odd behavior.

When the officer approached him and asked what he was doing, Viers told her he was waiting for his son to pick him up. She said she saw him driving and then hide behind the trailer. He claimed he wasn't driving.

Viers failed a sobriety field test and refused to take a breath test, according to testimony.