Edwin A. Kramlich, 59, of Arnold, a repeat offender, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to two DWIs – one that occurred in 2016 and the other in 2015. He had at least three DWIs before that, according to court records.
In December 2016, Kramlich was found in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle at the Heights Quick Stop gas station, 1841 Old Hwy. 21, in the Arnold area, which was closed at the time. When an officer showed up and questioned him, Kramlich said he had been drinking alcohol, and he smelled like it and had bloodshot, watery eyes. He also showed other signs of being impaired, like having trouble standing, a probable-cause statement said.
Kramlich took a breath test and had a .240 percent blood-alcohol content, which is three times the legal limit of .08 percent in Missouri, the report said.
The officer also discovered Kramlich had active warrants for his arrest and that his license was revoked.
In March 2015, Kramlich was driving a 1993 Mazda Protege south on Hwy. 61-67 south of Telegraph Road in the Arnold area where a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper observed him weaving in the lane and then cross the center line into the northbound lane, a probable-cause statement said.
Kramlich was pulled over on Riverdale Drive, and when approached by the officer, he admitted to driving with a suspended license and he appeared intoxicated. He had bloodshot, glassy eyes and slurred his speech. The officer also smelled alcohol and noticed a cup filled with a brown liquid in the center console, and Kramlich said it was whisky, the probable-cause statement said. Kramlich failed field sobriety tests, and after he was placed under arrest, the officer also learned that Kramlich had numerous DWI convictions, the report said.
Kramlich pleaded guilty to two counts of DWI – aggravated offender, each one a class C felony, and on Feb. 13, Jefferson County Div. 4 Circuit Judge Mark T. Stoll sentenced him to two seven-year prison sentences to be served consecutively, for a total of 14 years. He may be released early if he completes a 120-day treatment program, court records indicated.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Thomas E. Hollingsworth handled the cases.
Kramlich previously pleaded guilty to three other DWIs – one stemming from a November 1992 incident in Arnold, another connected to an October 1991 incident in Arnold and one tied to a March 1991 incident in Jefferson County, according to court papers.
He currently is in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.