Men arrested for 9th, 6th OWI offenses among 18 picked up over St. Patrick's Day weekend
MILWAUKEE -- There were 18 arrests during St. Patrick's Day weekend Operation Drive Sober patrols, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. That includes the arrest of five repeat offenders -- one arrested for his 9th OWI offense. A deputy had to draw his weapon in order to take that man into custody, according to sheriff's officials . Additionally, a man accused of his 6th OWI offense drove the wrong way on Good Hope Rd., and rammed a squad, sheriff's officials say.
The repeat offenders arrested are as follows:
“Appalling – a drunken driver without a valid license, and both drivers without the sense not to drink and drive, and without the moral courage to stop instead of flee our deputies. Eight convictions and five convictions, and now they find themselves again in handcuffs and face new charges. HELP ME CHANGE THE CULTURE! ENOUGH!" Acting Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt said in a news release.
The Franklin man arrested for his 9th OWI offense was pulled over on St. Patrick's Day around 3:45 p.m. when a deputy saw a van with expired registration driving unsafely and passing other vehicles using the right distress lane on I-94 eastbound near 27th St. The driver initially pulled over, but then attempted to flee from the deputy, sheriff's officials said. The deputy followed as the vehicle exited at Clybourn and North 6th St. The driver stopped again, jumped out of his van and ran toward the deputy’s squad, causing the deputy to draw his service weapon and order the man to the ground. Once in custody, when asked why he ran at the deputy, the man said he was running away because of his prior OWI convictions and he did not want to go to jail.
The man was arrested after sheriff's officials say he tested a .118 on a preliminary breath test.
He did not have the required interlock ignition device on his vehicle.
Three empty beer cans were found in the van.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of this Class G felony. He is also being charged with fleeing, a Class I felony punishable by up to three-and-a-half years in prison. Two misdemeanor charges will be filed for operating after revocation-OWI Related and ignition interlock device violation, together carrying up to 10 months in jail.
His prior convictions occurred in February 1994, November 1994, August 1998, January 2000, November 2000, May 2002, February 2005, and May 2014.
The Milwaukee man arrested for his 6th OWI is accused of ramming a squad car and driving the wrong way on Good Hope Rd.
It happened on St. Patrick's Day, just before midnight. Sheriff's officials say a deputy attempted to pull over a suspected drunken driver for unsafe lane deviations and speeding on 86th St. northbound near Helena Ct. The driver refused to stop, and sped away at speeds up to 95 miles-per-hour through city streets near 86th and Good Hope Rd. The deputy stopped the car at 88th St., but the car rammed into the squad and fled again, driving the wrong way on Good Hope Rd. The deputy terminated the pursuit and began a check of the area for the subject -- giving backup deputies a description of the man and his clothing.
Sheriff's officials say the vehicle was found abandoned at 80th and Casper St. Deputies also went to the listed address that came back on the license plate, and the subject returned to the home just before 1:00 a.m. Sheriff's officials say the Milwaukee man showed signs of being highly intoxicated, refused a preliminary breath test, and was arrested for OWI-6th offense. His prior convictions were in August 2000, September 2003, February 2004, October 2005, and October 2012.
If convicted of OWI-6th offense, a Class G felony, he faces up to 10 years in prison. He also faces charges of fleeing from an officer, a Class I felony, with a penalty of up to three-and-a-half years in prison and first degree recklessly endangering safety, a Class F felony with up to 12 years imprisonment. The hit-and-run charge is a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 30 days in jail.