DOVER - A South Lebanon man indicted on felony evidence tampering charges escaped jail time in a plea deal reached with prosecutors today that allows for a 12-month jail sentence to be suspended for two years.
Rene Drapeau, 49, of 46 Bigelow Road, however, will lose his license for nine months for driving drunk on Nov. 18 when he crashed his 1992 Buick Lesabre into a utility pole in the area of 244 Pickering Road in Gonic.
Drapeau pleaded guilty to DWI, first offense, and hindering apprehension, a Class A misdemeanor, while prosecutors dropped the felony charge of falsifying physical evidence.
He will also pay a $500 fine for the DWI. The 12-month suspended sentence was for hindering apprehension.
As part of the agreement to suspend the jail time, Drapeau must successfully participate in drug and alcohol counseling.