A Turlock man is headed to prison after incurring his third drunk driving conviction, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.

Jose Luis Ochoa Cuevas, 26, of Turlock was sentenced to five years in state prison for driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or above causing injury.

On Aug. 6, 2016, Cuevas was driving when he lost control of his car, crossed into the opposite lane, and collided head-on with another vehicle. The other vehicle’s driver sustained moderate injuries and a passenger suffered a broken arm which required surgery. A California Highway Patrol officer investigating the collision noted Cuevas smelled of alcohol. Cuevas admitted drinking before the crash and a chemical test determined his blood alcohol level was 0.12/0.11 percent.

On Sept. 12, Cuevas pled no contest to felony driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.08 percent causing injury. He admitted having two alcohol-related reckless driving convictions from 2011 and 2013. He was still on probation for his most recent conviction. In addition, he admitted inflicting great bodily injury on the vehicle’s passenger, which constitutes a strike under the “Three Strikes” law making him eligible for a longer prison sentence should he be convicted of a new felony crime after being released from state prison.

Deputy District Attorney Bianca Yip prosecuted the case for the People. Her position is funded by a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.