WESTMINSTER : New Felony Charges Added in DUI Case

Prosecutors filed additional felony charges Wednesday against David Edward Wilson, a 41-year-old tree trimmer with a long record of drunk-driving arrests.

Wilson now is charged with 19 offenses, including driving under the influence four times last summer, driving with a suspended license, giving a false name to police in order to escape prosecution, and leaving the scene of an accident, said Deputy Dist. Atty. James F. Bacin. Twelve of the charges are felonies.

If convicted on all counts, Wilson could face more than five years in state prison, Bacin said.

Police and court records indicate that Wilson has been arrested more than a dozen times--and perhaps as many as 19 times--under five aliases, on suspicion of drunk driving, driving without a license, receiving stolen property, and other offenses. He also has served at least two terms in County Jail for drunk driving--one of them apparently under an alias.

Despite his long record, Wilson’s skillful use of false identities and a mix-up in his fingerprint files had resulted in the police releasing him after each arrest. But a Westminster police fingerprint technician finally recognized Wilson’s prints this summer, and a warrant was issued for Wilson’s arrest.

In a jailhouse interview two weeks ago, Wilson said he did not remember how many times he has been arrested, and prosecutors Wednesday said they had not finished investigating the case.

Bacin said only offenses committed within seven years will be taken into account. Wilson has four outstanding drunk-driving arrests, and prosecutors have so far verified six prior convictions under several aliases within the past seven years, he said.

“Keep in mind that we can only go back seven years . . . ,” Bacin said. “The court records indicate there are priors before that, but we can’t use them against him.”

Wilson’s public defender, John Zitny, hinted that he may challenge the accuracy of the court records and fingerprint identifications that prosecutors have used to link Wilson to his aliases.

“It’s their obligation to prove the priors, and so far they haven’t done so,” Zitny said.

After consulting with both attorneys Wednesday, West Orange County Municipal Judge Frank F. Fasel agreed to a defense request to delay a preliminary hearing in the case until Oct. 24.