State v. West

REINHARD, Presiding Judge.

Defendant appeals after his conviction following a bench trial for driving while intoxicated, section 577.010, RSMo 1994. The court sentenced him to a jail term of six months. We reverse and remand.

The record reveals that defendant was charged with driving while intoxicated, a class B misdemeanor that carries a penalty of imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both. See sections 560.016; 558.011, RSMo 1994. Defendant appeared pro se at his pre-trial hearing on January 22, 1996. At the hearing, defendant spoke briefly with the judge and the…