Man With 16 DUIs Arrested In Casper After Chase, Charged With DUI

Casper police arrested a man with 16 DUI convictions after he allegedly led authorities on a chase through Converse and Natrona Counties last month.

Mark Edward Wayt is facing a litany of felony and misdemeanor charges, including what would be at least his 17th DUI charge, following the incident. He's charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (marijuana); possession of a controlled substance, felony weight (marijuana); possession of a controlled substance, third or subsequent offense; possession of a controlled substance (spice); driving under the influence; driving under suspension; eluding; and reckless driving.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Natrona County law enforcement agencies were advised a Converse County sheriff's deputy was engaged in a pursuit on I-25 heading toward Casper. The fleeing vehicle was reportedly traveling more than 100 mph.

Authorities later determined that the vehicle had been reported as a possible drunk driver. When the Converse County deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, the license plate came back to another vehicle.

The affidavit alleges that a Casper police officer successfully deployed spike strips on Interstate 25 when the vehicle traveled by going between 80 and 100 mph. The driver nearly lost control in an attempt to avoid the spike strips.

Another Casper police officer deployed spike strips at F Street and ane when the driver traveled by at between 70 and 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Officers briefly lost sight of the vehicle before finding it parked at a residence in the 900 block of North Lincoln with its lights still on. A neighbor reportedly told police that they saw Wayt rapidly pull the vehicle into the driveway and run into the residence.

The affidavit states that Wayt was clearly intoxicated as he had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. He agreed to let authorities take a blood sample at the Natrona County Detention Center.

When officers searched Wayt's vehicle, they allegedly found 7.1 ounces of marijuana and several open Twisted Tea drinks in his center console.

Officers were granted a search warrant for Wayt's residence and reportedly found several glass pipes with marijuana residue, four glass pipes with methamphetamine residue, 58 grams of spice, 120 grams of suspected marijuana and an electronic scale covered with marijuana residue.

Police ran Wayt's driver's license and learned that his driving privileges were suspended for a felony DUI revocation beginning in 2011 and ending in 2037. Aditionally, he was required to have an ignition interlock through 2101.

Additionally, a check of Wayt's criminal history revealed that he'd been convicted of possession of a controlled substance seven times, 16 DUIs in his lifetime, including two in the past 10 years and numerous charges that had been dismissed; numerous ignition interlock convictions, numerous fictitious registration convictions and "an extensive criminal history dating back to the 1980s including several felony convictions."

Wayt was also listed as a habitual traffic offender.