Man charged in fatal crash has three prior DUII's

GRANTS PASS, Ore. – 46-year-old Freddie Tillett sat before a judge Wednesday, charged with manslaughter and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

“There’s no way to be put on house arrest or any type of thing like that during these court proceedings?” Tillet said.

Police say his blood alcohol level was almost three times the legal limit when he caused a fatal head on crash on Highway 99 on Sept. 27. Brenda Reinert, a 39-year-old mother from Grants Pass, died.

“Not only can the court enhance the suspension, but there’s an automatic suspension built into law that DMV imposes automatically,” David House, DMV, said.

House can’t speak to any particular case, but says after someone’s first DUII in Oregon, their license is suspended one year. If they get a second within five years, it’s suspended three years. After a third DUII, their license is permanently revoked.

“A court could look at your driving record overall and take into account other things other than DUI and setting maybe an additional suspension or setting a stiff fine,” House said.

Tillett had his license revoked for life after his second DUII in 2006. However, it was reinstated in 2016.

“Oregon law allows you to apply after ten years. That doesn’t mean you’re going to get it because now you would need to provide proof that you have not driven. You know, if you have some other driving conviction, driving while revoked on you’re record, you probably not gonna be accepted by DMV to drive again,” House said.

Not even two months after getting his license reinstated, Tillett received his third DUII. This time court records show it was revoked permanently, but someone could still apply to get their license reinstated.

“They could get another revocation for another 10 years that overlaps. It wouldn’t be concurrent. Well it would be concurrent, not consecutive,” House said.

Whether Tillett has a valid license is unknown at this time. What is known, a woman is dead, and the man police say caused the accident is behind bars.

The DA’s office is unable to comment on the case, as it is still open. Tillett is being held on $500,000 bail. In addition to his three DUII’s, Tillett has a wide variety of citations related to his driving, including driving while suspended, a felony.