Pana Man Sentenced to Prison on Alcohol Charges

Shelby County State's Attorney Gina Vonderheide has announced that 43-year-old Brian Edwards of Pana has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Edwards was sentenced for aggravated driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a Class X felony.  In addition, Edwards was found guilty of a Class 3 felony court of driving while his license is revoked.  He was sentenced to an additional five years in prison on that count, with that sentence to run concurrrent with the longer sentence for the other charge.

Edwards was arrested last October in rural Shelby County, after having been found in a vehicle on the side of the road by a passerby. Further information indicated that Edwards was intoxicated and had been driving on a revoked license, having been revoked previously for driving under the influence of alcohol.  Edwards has been convicted multiple times for both offenses, which Vonderheide said is grounds to charge him with the higher felony offense.