Justin S. Bartnick, 42, of Barnhart, a chronic offender, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison following felony charges for driving while intoxicated, driving with a revoked license and a probation violation, court records show.
In January 2010, Bartnick, formerly of Imperial, Arnold and Fenton, was spotted speeding at Old Hwy. 21 and Konert Road in the Fenton area, and a Jefferson County deputy pulled him over. Bartnick also had failed to maintain a single lane, and he didn’t use a turn signal when turning, the probable-cause statement said.
The deputy said Bartnick’s breath smelled strongly of alcohol. In addition, he had no driver’s license with him, the report said.
In February 2010, after receiving a call about a disturbance, a deputy pulled over Bartnick at Lonedell Road and Lightning Drive in the Arnold area, and, again, he smelled like alcohol. He failed field sobriety tests, and he was driving with a revoked license, the probable-cause statement said.
In April 2010, Arnold Police were holding a sobriety checkpoint on southbound Hwy. 141 near Astra Way, and an officer spotted Bartnick driving a pickup north on Hwy. 141 before entering the median and then getting onto the southbound lanes. The officer tried to pull over Bartnick, but he fled and turned onto Old Lemay Ferry Road. Eventually, however, he pulled over on Bass Lane, the probable-cause statement said.
The officer said Bartnick smelled strongly of alcohol. He refused to take a breath test or field sobriety tests, but he was arrested for DWI. In addition, he was driving with a revoked license and was wanted outstanding warrants, the report said.
Bartnick pleaded guilty to two counts of felony DWI - persistent offender and to two counts of felony driving without a license stemming from the January and February 2010 incidents. He also pleaded guilty to felony DWI - persistent offender and felony driving without a license tied to the April 2010 incident, according to the report.
In October 2012, he was sentenced to four seven-year terms for the January and February 2010 incidents, but those terms were to be served concurrently, or at the same time. In addition, Bartnick was sentenced to two seven-year terms for the April 2010 incident, with those two terms to be served concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the other seven years, for a total of 14 years, court papers indicate.
However, Bartnick was released in January 2014, after completing a treatment program, and was placed on five years’ probation. He violated the probation, though, and on June 6, Jefferson County Div. 4 Circuit Judge Mark T. Stoll executed the prison terms.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Steven W. Jerrell handled the cases.
Bartnick previously was convicted of DWI stemming from incidents in December 2009 in St. Louis County, in March 2004 in Jefferson County and in October 2001 in St. Louis County. In addition, Bartnick previously was convicted of felony domestic assault and felonious restraint connected to a March 2005 incident in St. Louis, according to court documents.
He currently is facing a felony driving while revoked charge stemming from an August 2015 incident in Jefferson County. That case is pending, court papers show.
Bartnick is in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.