[Editor's Note: Our former intern got all growed-up and landed himself a newspaper job‚ right where the action is...]
On Feb. 29‚ Dawn E. Wells‚ 69‚ of Driggs was sentenced to five days in jail‚ fined $410.50 as well as placed on six months unsupervised probation after pleading guilty to one count of reckless driving stemming from a Oct. 2007 incident.
Seventh District Magistrate Judge Colin Luke ultimately removed the jail sentence.
During the Oct. 18 traffic stop on Hwy 33‚ Teton County Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Gutierrez‚ who is currently on a paid suspension from the force in an unrelated matter‚ pulled over the "Gilligan's Island" actress after noticing her weaving erratically towards the center line.
According to the police report‚ Gutierrez smelled a strong odor of marijuana as he approached the vehicle. When asked about the smell‚ Wells claimed she had given three hitchhikers a ride and when she dropped them off at the corner of Bates Rd. and Main St. in Driggs‚ they started to smoke something as they got out.
A subsequent search of vehicle yielded four half-smoked joints‚ which were found in the ashtray‚ the center console and the backseat ashtray.
Wells was then arrested after a failed sobriety test and booked on charges‚ which included driving under the influence‚ possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.
Pleading not guilty to all charges‚ Wells posted the $4‚000 bond and was released.
A local celebrity‚ Wells is the founder of the Idaho Film and Television Institute and organizer of Spud Fest‚ Teton Valley's annual family movie festival.