BLOOMINGTON -- A Heyworth man who skipped a sentencing hearing two months ago was sentenced Wednesday to a decade in prison on a series of traffic and drug offenses spanning 18 months.

Jeffrey Wills received seven years in prison in connection with a March aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol charge that involved a crash that injured another driver on U.S. 51 south of Bloomington. The accident netted Wills his fifth drunken driving citation.

Judge Paul Lawrence also imposed a consecutive three year sentence for unlawful possession of cocaine and aggravated DUI for a February 2009 incident. Six additional consecutive terms ranging from 364 days in jail to two years in prison were issued on six other charges related to driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence of alcohol.

In an emotional statement delivered in court, Wills told the judge that his life began to spiral out of control several years ago after the deaths of his grandparents who died within 36 hours of each other. Problems with his electrical contracting business and a divorce added to the stress, he said, that resulted in heavy drinking and an addiction to cocaine.

"I didn't care much. I was dead inside," Wills said of his frequent arrests.

Wills said he has become active in AA since he has been held without bail and intends to complete inpatient drug treatment.

"I'm going to do everything I can do get this monkey off my back," he said.

Assistant State's Attorney Karle Koritz asked Wills why he did not seek treatment while he was out on bond.

Wills said he was working, trying to earn money before he left for what he knew would be time in the Department of Corrections.

Judge Paul Lawrence rejected a request by defense lawyer Mark D. Johnson for the state's impact incarceration program, known as boot camp.

Lawrence noted that a substance abuse evaluation ranked Wills as a high risk offender.

Wills also was ordered to pay $9,500 restitution to the injured driver in the March accident.

Wills failed to appear for a July 24 sentencin g hearing. He was arrested a week later in Galena and told a judge at his next court appearance that he left town because he disagreed with a former defense attorney handling his case.