Jurors convict man

A Seymour man convicted of a 1994 drunken driving fatality in Jennings County was recently found guilty of driving while intoxicated and faces up to 11 years in prison.

Robert E. Norris, 49, was convicted Thursday after a two-day jury trial in Jackson Circuit Court in Brownstown on Class D felony charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction within five years.

That incident took place in October 2007.

Jackson County Prosecutor Rick Poynter said because of previous drunken driving convictions, Norris' sentence will include added time for being a habitual substance offender.

In addition to his recent conviction, Norris was found guilty in September 1994 of drunken driving resulting in a death in February 1994 in Jennings County, according to court records.

Court records also showed a prior conviction in November 1994 for drunken driving in Clark County from an October 1993 incident.

In April 2006, he was convicted of two additional drunken driving offenses in Jackson Superior Court, stemming from incidents in October 2004 and September 2005.

Poynter said he could not comment on Norris' case until sentencing, which is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. June 23.

Norris faces a three-year sentence on charges of driving while intoxicated and an additional three to eight years for being a habitual offender, which will have to be served consecutively, Poynter said.