"Super drunk:" Anthony Drewes admits to driving boat in fatal collision

Anthony Drewes



DELAFIELD -- A 53-year-old Hartland man is now charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle in the wake of a boating crash that happened on Lake Nagawicka on Friday, August 11th. The accused is Anthony Drewes. The victim, 61-year-old Jill Ladwig.

The criminal complaint in this case indicates officers were dispatched to a boat crash on the lake shortly before 6:00 p.m. on Friday.  An officer spoke with one of the passengers in the striking boat "who indicated that Tony Drewes was driving the boat and had clipped the back end of the (pontoon) boat that Jill Ladwig bad been on." The passenger told officers "the boat was traveling at about 20 to 25 mph when it hit the other boat." The passenger also indicated a woman was thrown from the pontoon boat into the lake.

When officers checked out the striking boat, the criminal complaint says they "located a large amount of beer and alcoholic drinks, as well as a three quarters full bottle of vodka. The officer did locate two beer bottles in the cup holder to the right of the driver's seat and one bottle underneath the driver's seat."

Officers later located Drewes in the water near the area of the collision. The complaint indicates he "appeared to be attempting to conceal himself." Officers ordered Drewes out of the water and "noted the man had impaired motor skills and that his speech was slurred." The officers also noted Drewes had "bloodshot and glassy eyes and droopy eyelids" and detected a strong odor of intoxicants from Drewes' breath.

When questioned by police, Drewes said, "I drank a lot." He initially denied operating the boat at the time of the wreck -- but later admitted to the officers that he was "super drunk" and that "he did it."

The Waukesha County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on Ladwig. They found the cause of death to be drowning with multiple blunt force injuries, which occurred as a result of the boat collision.

If convicted, Drewes faces up to 25 years in prison and $100,000 in fines. He is due in court on September 1st for his preliminary hearing.