A Revere man who once killed a friend while operating under the influence will serve up to five years in state prison following his fourth drunk driving conviction last week, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced.

TERRANCE PAIVA (D.O.B. 6/7/67) admitted on Oct. 21 to operating under the influence of alcohol as a fourth offense and operating after the suspension of his license while driving in the area of Revere Beach Boulevard on March 5.

Adopting the recommendation of Assistant District Attorney Megan O’Rourke, Superior Court Judge Regina L. Quinlan sentenced Paiva to a term of three to five years in prison followed by one year of probation.

During that probationary term, Paiva must pay a $1,875 fine, attend substance abuse counseling, remain alcohol-free, and submit to random urine tests. Paiva’s driver’s license had already been ordered revoked for 15 years pursuant to Massachusetts law after he pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide in 2004; Quinlan again ordered him not to operate any motor vehicle.

“This defendant has proven himself to be a danger to drivers, pedestrians, and passengers alike,” Conley said. “It was very important to get him off the road.”

Had the case proceeded to trial, O’Rourke would have proven that, shortly before 3:00 on the morning of the incident, a State trooper working a detail at Kelly’s Roast Beef observed Paiva make an illegal left turn from Oak Island Street onto Revere Beach Boulevard.

When the trooper approached Paiva to get his license and registration, she observed him to have red, glassy eyes and she detected the scent of alcohol about him. When she returned to her cruiser, Paiva jumped from his GMC Envoy and began to run towards Revere Beach.

Paiva fell on his face, peeled himself off the pavement, and fled onto the beach. The trooper transmitted Paiva’s name and description to State Police dispatchers and another trooper soon located him in the surf. The troopers converged on Paiva and escorted him from the water.

In June 2004, Paiva pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide and operating under the influence as a third offense. He was sentenced to four and a half years in state prison; Suffolk prosecutors had recommended a term of six to nine years. In that case, Paiva admitted to being intoxicated when he drove his pickup truck into a brick wall, killing his 41-year-old passenger, Mark Ciampa.

Paiva was represented by attorney Jennifer McKinnon.