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Drunken driver gets prison time By DANI DODGE A Medford man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for drinking, driving and then crashing. But a passenger in the car got a life sentence: brain damage. "He has to carry around a notebook and write things like what time to eat and to when to put his shoes on," said Deputy District Attorney Timothy Barnack of the passenger. On Nov. 2, Reno Charles, 31, and Bobby Chisem, 33, both of Medford, went drinking at the Satin Slipper in Central Point. The two had been friends for about 16 years, but that night they argued about who would drive. Charles won the argument. Charles got behind the wheel of Chisem's red 1983 Pontiac Firebird and headed home. But he failed to get around an S curve in the 800 block of Gibbon Road in Central Point - and drove into the oncoming lane. Charles struck a 1987 Suburban head-on. The Suburban went over the passenger side of the Firebird, crashing through the Firebird's T-top and hitting Chisem. "The man in the Suburban said he saw a flash of light, saw red, and felt a crunch and his car stopped," Barnack said. "It was that fast." The Central Point couple and their 5-year-old son in the Suburban suffered only minor injuries. Charles was slightly injured and blood tests at the hospital showed he had a .09 blood-alcohol level. Chisem had to be freed from the Firebird with heavy-duty hydraulic metal cutters. At the time, Charles was awaiting trial on a drunken driving charge he'd gotten only three months before. Charles pleaded guilty to third-degree assault, driving under the influence of intoxicants, and two counts of reckless endangerment in the accident that injured his friend. He also pleaded guilty to the DUII stemming from an arrest in August. On Tuesday, Judge Rebecca Orf sentenced Charles to 29 months in prison. Once he gets out, he'll have to pay medical and car repair bills for his friend and the other victims. The amount of restitution had not been added up Tuesday. Charles also will have his license revoked for eight years when he gets out of prison. Judge Orf gave him five years of post prison supervision and ordered him not to drink during that time. At his sentencing, Charles apologized. "I'm awful sorry to my friend and his family," Charles said. "If I could take it back, I would, but I can only go on from here." Charles spent 222 days in jail since his November arrest. Charles' friend, Chisem, is in a hospital in Eugene getting rehabilitation, and could not attend the sentencing. Barnack said that he spoke with Chisem's wife, who asked Barnack to tell the judge how badly this has hurt them. She said she has to chop up all Chisem's food in a blender so he can suck it through a straw. He had to get an artificial jaw. And then, of course, the brain injury has changed their lives. "It's pretty much destroyed their relationship," Barnack said. Barnack also spoke with the Central Point family. "They were satisfied with the resolution of the case," Barnack said. "They were upset, but at the same time they were wanting him to get treatment so that no one else would have to go through this." Charles' attorney, Lisa Greif, said that while her client would be haunted by what he'd done, he also had support from family, friends and church. She said Charles' boss at Black Bird had praised Charles' work. She said Charles had been helping his sick grandmother and was known by those who lived near her as someone who was always willing to lend a hand. Charles' grandmother died while he was in jail. "There's not a day goes by that Mr. Charles doesn't think about this incident and what happened to his friend," Greif said. "I know he's grateful that no one else was hurt and that Mr. Chisem lived." But this wasn't Charles' first rash of drunken driving arrests. He had DUII convictions in 1990 and 1991. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.