'Outlandish behavior:' 3 alleged repeat drunk drivers arrested in Milwaukee County; 1 for 5th offense

MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- Three repeat offenders were arrested during the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office's weekend Operation Drive Sober patrols -- which netted a total of 13 arrests between Friday evening, June 29 and Monday morning, July 2.

Sheriff's officials said a Milwaukee woman, 31, was arrested early Sunday morning, July 1 around 3:30 a.m. when a deputy stopped a vehicle traveling on I-43 northbound near the Marquette Interchange -- allegedly driving erratically. The woman, who had a revoked license, performed poorly during field sobriety testing and said she had two beers at a bar. She refused a preliminary breath test. She was arrested for her fifth OWI offense. Sheriff's officials said her prior OWI convictions occurred in January 2009, February 2009, November 2010 and January 2011. She faces charges of OWI, fifth offense, operating while revoked and failure to install an ignition interlock device. If convicted on all charges, she faces up to 10 years and 10 months in prison.

Less than an hour before that, around 2:15 a.m. Sunday, sheriff's officials say a deputy traveling westbound on McKinley Avenue near 6th Street saw a vehicle almost strike another vehicle head-on. The deputy activated the squad’s emergency lights and siren, but the vehicle continued driving at about 10 miles-per-hour, making several turns until pulling over at 8th Street. Sheriff's officials say the driver suddenly exited the vehicle and kneeled on the ground with his hands behind his head. The deputy ordered him back into his vehicle, but the man refused, stood up and began yelling while walking toward the deputy. Sheriff's officials say he ignored orders to stop and picked up his pace, heading toward the deputy, who drew and deployed his Taser. The man ripped the probes out and continued toward the deputy. The deputy deployed the Taser again, and the man fell to the ground.

The Milwaukee Fire Department responded, but the driver, a Milwaukee man, 59, refused medical treatment. He was identified by a Wisconsin ID card. For officer safety reasons, field sobriety tests were not conducted at the scene. He was transported to the hospital for a legal blood draw. His prior convictions were in February 1991 and March 1997.  He faces charges of OWI, third offense, resisting or obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct and operating after revocation.

If convicted on all counts, he faces up to one year and seven months in jail.

Sheriff's officials said a third person was arrested for OWI, third offense -- a man, 50, from Milwaukee.

Acting Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt said this in a news release: "These criminal drunk drivers demonstrate outlandish behavior, driving without licenses and endangering you -- the law-abiding motoring public. Deputies continue to aggressively pursue drunk drivers. These repeat offenders need to get the help they need and learn to not get behind the wheel of a car when drinking. Enough!”