West Allis man accused of driving drunk, hitting parked cars, nearly striking light poles

Brian Petersen



MILWAUKEE -- 46-year-old Brian Petersen of West Allis, a man who has recently been fired by the Milwaukee Police Department, is accused of driving drunk and then striking two vehicles in West Allis last November.

Petersen faces the following misdemeanor charges:


    According to the criminal complaint, a driver called police shortly after 5 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2017 -- to report a car being driven erratically. The complaint indicates the "vehicle struck the curb and deviated several times nearly striking several light poles." A short time later, the vehicle rear-ended a vehicle at 92nd and National Ave. The caller continued to follow the vehicle -- which did not stop at that incident.

    The car then "sideswiped a parked car and continued traveling making several very wide turns." It eventually turned into a parking lot at 95th and National "where it beached itself on a raised median."

    Police arrived a short time after this incident -- and officers noticed Petersen, who was behind the wheel, had "a strong odor of alcohol." Petersen "admitted to consuming a half a bottle of Vodka" earlier in the day," the complaint says. He also said he took a prescription Ambien pill.

    The officer noticed Petersen had slurred speech and glassy eyes. When it came time for Petersen to perform field sobriety tests, the officer said he exhibited "multiple clues of impairment and poor balance." A preliminary breath test also registered 0.23 -- nearly three times the legal limit.

    Petersen was recently discharged from the Milwaukee Police Department for apparently violating some of the MPD's core values. CLICK HERE to read a letter about Petersen submitted to the Fire and Police Commission on Feb. 20.