High profile problem driver

By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 1999-07-05

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When Richard Gnida was pulled over for running a stop sign in Detroit, USA in July, 1999, he was found to have a BAC level of 0.12, well over the legal limit. This was a serious offense, but for Gnida, even more serious. Because of his record, if he's convicted he faces up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine, and a minimum of a 5-year revocation of his license.

Gnida is eligible for the tough sentence because he has had three drunken driving convictions within 10 years, combined with a previous license revocation. But there are some who feel that this isn't enough. Gnida made the headlines two years ago when he drove a limousine into a tree, severely injuring two members of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. He had just gotten his driving license back in April, 1999, after being released early from a 90-day sentence he had received for violating his probation from a nine-month sentence received as a result of the crash.

He had been ordered to undergo drug counseling, to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and to show up for court hearings to schedule 200 hours of community service. He was arrested for not fulfilling those requirements. He served 75 days of the 90-day sentence for breaking the parole agreement and was released March 1.

Gnida's driving privileges were revoked following the crash, but were reinstated in 1998 after he presented a certificate proving he had completed an outpatient abuse program to the state's driver license appeals division.

Previous to the Detroit crash that seriously injured Red wings defenceman Vladimir Konstantinov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov, Gnida had been ticketed twice for speeding and was convicted in 1994 of driving while impaired. In 1996, the Secretary of State's Office revoked Gnida's license for having more than 12 points on his driving record.

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