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DWI offender granted clemency by Huckabee faces new charges Wednesday, Feb 6, 2008 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - A Van Buren man paroled in 2004 after then-Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted his six-year prison sentence for fourth-offense DWI pleaded guilty to a new drunken driving charge Tuesday. Eugene Fields, 69, was sentenced to 14 days in the Sebastian County Detention Center following his plea in Fort Smith District Court to charges of second-offense DWI and refusing a breath test. Fields still faces a parole revocation hearing, his parole officer, Craig Robie, said Tuesday. Fort Smith police arrested Fields on Friday night after the vehicle he was driving was spotted "weaving in and out of his lane" of traffic, according to an arrest report. Fields admitted to having consumed four beers at a nightclub, the arresting officer's report said. Along with being charged with second-offense DWI and refusing a breath test, Fields was issued citations for driving left of center and not wearing a seatbelt. Teresa Belew, director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said Tuesday that she was disappointed that Fields had been arrested again. "He is a menace among us, but this is not just about Mr. Fields," Belew said, adding that she had opposed Huckabee's decision to grant Fields executive clemency in 2004. "This is really about drunk driving, whether elected officials who have the authority to grant clemency take that job seriously and what kind of treatment is available for people who are convicted," she said. "This just underscores the nationwide problem of repeat offenders and how seriously a felony level drunk driving conviction should be taken." Huckabee commuted Fields' prison sentence for fourth-offense DWI in April 2004, making Fields immediately eligible for parole. Fields was released because of jail overcrowding despite having served just a year in prison. He had been granted parole and was waiting a parole date when the commutation order was issued. On April 4, 2006, Fields was arrested in Barling and charged with DWI and refusing to take a blood alcohol breath test. He pleaded guilty to DWI in Barling District Court. He was fined $300 and ordered to pay $300 in court costs. The other charged was dismissed, according to a Barling District Court clerk. Field's latest plea came on the same day as the Super Tuesday presidential primaries, in which Huckabee is a Republican presidential contender. According to news reports, Fields made a $10,000 donation in 2000 to the Republican Party of Arkansas under Fields Investment Company, the name of the business he owned. His wife made $5,000 donations to the state GOP in June and July 2003, the reports said. In August 2003, Fields began serving his six-year prison term. He also began the clemency application process. Less than a year later, Huckabee commuted his sentence. Huckabee campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday. Huckabee was scheduled to appear at a primary watch party Tuesday night. |
