Derec Keefer was one of approximately 90 people in Oregon whose convictions for driving with a suspended license were vacated after officials learned that glitches in the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles record-keeping allowed these suspensions to remain on the books after their expiration.
Keefer, 33, was arrested in Washington County, Oregon on October 11, 2019, for driving on a suspended license. The records showed his license had been suspended in 2008 after he was convicted of driving under the influence of an intoxicant and reckless endangerment.
On October 22, 2019, Keefer pled guilty to driving on suspended license in Washington County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation. He was ordered to pay fines and fees of $1,100.
In 2023, the Oregonian newspaper ran a series of articles detailing the DMV's problems with accurately logging suspended licenses. The problems stemmed from the DMV using a placeholder date for suspended licenses, either 12/31/9999 or 00/00/0000.
The placeholder was needed because under Oregon law, license suspensions don't take effect until a person completes a prison or jail sentence. Under the state's system, defendants were required to contact the DMV and submit a form signed by a jail or prison official to activate the suspension and set its expiration date. That frequently didn't happen. In some instances, defendants forgot to follow through. In other instances, they never received the proper forms.
According to the Oregonian, district attorneys knew of the problems with the DMV's system and had begun working with the agency in the summer of 2022 to develop a remedy, but there was insufficient urgency to move quickly. The Oregonian's initial story ran in February 2023, creating pressure on prosecutors to act quickly and correct these wrongful convictions.
In June 2023, Keefer was notified by the Washington County District Attorney's Office that the records were in error, and that his driving privileges had been restored by the time of his arrest in 2019. Keefer was informed that his driving while suspended conviction had been vacated and dismissed on June 15, 2023.
In December 2023, Keefer filed a claim for compensation from the state of Oregon.
- Maurice Possley
Keefer, 33, was arrested in Washington County, Oregon on October 11, 2019, for driving on a suspended license. The records showed his license had been suspended in 2008 after he was convicted of driving under the influence of an intoxicant and reckless endangerment.
On October 22, 2019, Keefer pled guilty to driving on suspended license in Washington County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation. He was ordered to pay fines and fees of $1,100.
In 2023, the Oregonian newspaper ran a series of articles detailing the DMV's problems with accurately logging suspended licenses. The problems stemmed from the DMV using a placeholder date for suspended licenses, either 12/31/9999 or 00/00/0000.
The placeholder was needed because under Oregon law, license suspensions don't take effect until a person completes a prison or jail sentence. Under the state's system, defendants were required to contact the DMV and submit a form signed by a jail or prison official to activate the suspension and set its expiration date. That frequently didn't happen. In some instances, defendants forgot to follow through. In other instances, they never received the proper forms.
According to the Oregonian, district attorneys knew of the problems with the DMV's system and had begun working with the agency in the summer of 2022 to develop a remedy, but there was insufficient urgency to move quickly. The Oregonian's initial story ran in February 2023, creating pressure on prosecutors to act quickly and correct these wrongful convictions.
In June 2023, Keefer was notified by the Washington County District Attorney's Office that the records were in error, and that his driving privileges had been restored by the time of his arrest in 2019. Keefer was informed that his driving while suspended conviction had been vacated and dismissed on June 15, 2023.
In December 2023, Keefer filed a claim for compensation from the state of Oregon.
- Maurice Possley
Posting Date: 06-24-2024
Last Update Date: 06-24-2024
Case Details:
State:
Oregon
County:
Washington
Most Serious Crime:
Other Nonviolent Felony
Reported Crime Date:
2019
Convicted:
2019
Exonerated:
2023
Sentence:
Probation
Race / Ethnicity:
White
Sex:
Male
Age at the date of reported crime:
33
Contributing Factors:
Inadequate Legal Defense
Did DNA evidence contribute to the exoneration?:
No