By Lisa Chmelecki,Staff Writer

AUBURN – A Lewiston man whose license has been suspended 20 times during the past decade is in jail after being arrested this week on charges of drunken driving and driving after his license had been revoked.

Charles Sanders, 45, was pulled over at 12:50 a.m. Wednesday while driving his wife’s car on Bartlett Street.

Police say he refused a breath-alcohol test and lied about his identity.

Declared a habitual offender in 1997, Sanders has been in and out of jail ever since for committing other driving offenses and violating his probation. Wednesday’s arrest marked his fourth charge of operating under the influence, according to court records.

This time, in an effort to get Sanders released on bail, his lawyer argued in court Friday that he wasn’t a threat to the public because he is dying of liver disease.

The judge didn’t buy it.

Justice Thomas E. Delahanty II ordered Sanders to be held without bail until his next court hearing, satisfying both the district attorney’s office and Sanders’ probation officer.

“He is sick, but he continues to drink and drive,” said Pauline Gudas, the probation officer. “When he’s behind the wheel and he’s drinking, he is a threat.”

Sanders was convicted on Oct. 6, 1997, of being a habitual offender after racking up driving-related offenses. He was sentenced to three years in prison with all but 90 days suspended, followed by three years of probation.

His probation was revoked twice after he was released. He was sent to prison for a year on Oct. 17, 2003, after he was caught driving with a beer in his hand. He was apprehended driving again the following November and sent back to jail for another nine months.

Ignoring his lawyer’s advice not to say anything, Sanders blurted out in court Friday that he would plead guilty, serve the last year of his underlying sentence and be done with it.

“This is not an auction,” Justice Delahanty told him.

Sanders faces additional time behind bars for the new charges and for violating the terms of his probation.