A Hot Springs woman with 12 prior convictions for driving while intoxicated pleaded not guilty to a new DWI charge on Monday and was taken into custody in open court on a warrant stemming from the revocation of her suspended sentence from her last conviction.
Patricia Ann Clanton, 56, was released on $3,500 bond on March 26, the same day as her arrest on a charge of DWI, seventh offense. She has six prior convictions within the last 10 years and 12 convictions overall.
Clanton in 2016 pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to DWI, sixth offense and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with eight years suspended, fined $900 and ordered to pay $300 in court costs.
Prosecutors last month filed a motion to revoke her suspended sentence, noting she violated its conditions when she was arrested again. They said she has also failed to make regular payments toward her fine and court costs.
Clanton remained in custody Tuesday without bail.
According to the affidavit on Clanton's March 26 arrest, a Garland County sheriff's deputy stopped shortly before 1 a.m. to check on a Chevrolet Monte Carlo pulling into a parking lot at 3940 Malvern Ave.
The driver was identified as Clanton. The deputy noted a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle and he later attempted to administer field sobriety tests on Clanton, but she refused to cooperate, the affidavit said. Clanton had bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of intoxicants on her person, slurred speech and was unsteady on her feet, authorities wrote.
Clanton was described in the police document as being "very belligerent" and wouldn't follow instructions. She did submit to a portable breathalyzer test, which registered her blood alcohol content at 0.179 percent, more than twice the legal limit, the affidavit said.
Prior to her 2016 conviction, Clanton was previously convicted of DWI on Aug. 21, 1994, in Pine Bluff; on May 9, 1999, in Hot Springs; on Feb. 9, 2002, in Hot Springs; on June 22, 2002, in Rockport; on June 15, 2004, in Garland County Circuit Court; on Sept. 23, 2005, in Hot Springs; on April 4, 2008, in Hot Springs; on Oct. 10, 2011, in Pine Bluff; on Jan. 20, 2012, in Pine Bluff; on April 1, 2012, in Hot Springs; and on April 5, 2014, in Grant County.