2 wrong-way drunk drivers, repeat offender, woman with child in car arrested this weekend

MILWAUKEE -- Two wrong-way drunk drivers were arrested during weekend Operation Drive Sober patrols, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office announced Monday, Feb. 26. Additionally, deputies arrested a repeat offender, and a first-time offender with an 11-year-old passenger.

The first incident happened around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 on I-894 southbound between National Ave. and Oklahoma Ave.

According to a statement from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, a vehicle crashed into an active construction zone in a closed lane -- hitting a large trailer-type generator that was attached to a work truck. Workers at the scene came close to being struck by the vehicle, but none were injured.

The driver, a man from Eagle, 51, was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash. He was arrested for OWI, fourth offense and second degree recklessly endangering safety. He tested a .19 via a preliminary breath test, and had a BAC restriction of .02 on his driver’s license. His prior OWI convictions were in Sept. 1989, Feb. 1993, and Oct. 1997.

Shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday, a report came in regarding a driver passed out behind the wheel on the I-794 southbound off-ramp at Layton Ave. As deputies neared the scene, they encountered a wrong-way driver headed westbound in the eastbound lanes of Layton Ave. -- narrowly missing two squads before correcting to the right direction of travel.

The driver, a woman from Menomonee Falls, 29, blew a .22 via a preliminary breath test was arrested for OWI, first offense and second degree recklessly endangering safety and cited for operating without a license and driving the wrong way on a divided street.  She was transported to the hospital for medical evaluation after complaining of abdominal pain.

Around 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, a deputy noticed a vehicle deviating from its lanes on I-94 eastbound near the Zoo Interchange. A woman from Milwaukee, 54, performed poorly during field sobriety testing and refused to submit to a preliminary breath test or blood draw. A search warrant was obtained for a blood draw, and she was taken into custody for OWI, first offense with a passenger under the age of 16 in her vehicle. Sheriff's officials say she had an 11-year-old passenger.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, deputies were called out to the area of I-41/US 45 southbound at Bluemound Rd. for a report of a wrong-way driver headed northbound in the southbound lanes. The vehicle exited at Capitol Dr.and went south on 124th St. after traveling 4.6 miles in the wrong direction on the freeway.

Deputies found the vehicle on N.118th St., where the driver admitted to operating the wrong way on the freeway after having “a few beers” at a bar in West Allis.

The driver, a man from Wauwatosa, 57 tested at .226 on a preliminary breath test and was cited for OWI, first offense and arrested for second degree recklessly endangering safety.

"Wrong-way drunk drivers, intoxicated drivers with alcohol and drugs in their system and transporting children in their cars, and the all too frequent ‘I just didn't think I would get caught attitude’ are keeping our deputies busy making arrests. We will keep finding and arresting those failing to drive sober. Have you had enough of this dangerous behavior? Join me in changing the culture," Acting Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt said in the statement.