COEUR D’ALENE, ID – A 51-year-old Coeur d’Alene man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of felony DUI, marking his eighth DUI offense.
Daniel Joseph Hoard was sentenced on July 9, 2025, by District Judge Casey Simmons, who ordered that Hoard must serve at least five years before becoming eligible for parole. Following his release, Hoard will face a five-year driver’s license suspension.
The charge stems from a January 30, 2025, incident in which a Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputy observed Hoard driving erratically—at one point leaving the roadway, entering residential property, and nearly driving into oncoming traffic. A breath test revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.215, nearly three times the legal limit. Authorities also found two open containers of alcohol in the vehicle.
Because Hoard had previously been convicted of multiple felony DUI offenses, he was also designated a “Persistent Violator,” which required a minimum five-year prison term and allowed for a much longer sentence.
Hoard has misdemeanor DUI convictions from 1995, 2001, 2004, and 2010, and felony DUI convictions from 2010, 2014, and 2018. His criminal history also includes charges for disorderly conduct, trespassing, petit theft, drug influence, and multiple probation violations.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Donna Gardner had recommended a 15-year sentence with parole eligibility after seven years. Prosecuting Attorney Stanley T. Mortensen thanked the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Art Verharen for their roles in the case.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 32% of all U.S. traffic fatalities involve impaired drivers. In 2022 alone, over 13,500 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes.