STATE OF TENNESSEE v. RHONDA CAROLE STERBENZ - Articles

All Content

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. RHONDA CAROLE STERBENZ

Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Apr 16, 2026

Court: TN Court of Criminal Appeals

Attorneys 1: John E. Nicoll, District Public Defender; Brennan M. Wingerter, Public Defender- Appellate Division; and Willis McKee (at trial), Assistant Public Defender, for the appellant, Rhonda Carole Sterbenz.

Attorneys 2: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter; Lacy E. Wilber, Senior Assistant Attorney General; Craig Northcott, District Attorney General; and Michael S. Hibdon, Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.

Judge(s): MONTGOMERY, JR.

Rhonda Carole Sterbenz, the Defendant, was convicted by a Coffee County Circuit Court jury of driving under the influence (DUI), fifth offense; DUI per se, fifth offense; violating the open container law; and failing to exercise due care. See T.C.A. § 55-10-401 (2024) (DUI); § 55-10-416 (2024) (open container); § 55-8-136 (2024) (failure to exercise due care). The DUI convictions merged, and the Defendant received an effective sentence of two years and one day. On appeal, the Defendant claims that the evidence is insufficient to support her DUI convictions. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Attachments: