Man hides under pier after alleged OWI; claims he was looking for pedophiles and the cartel

Cesar Angeles

RACINE -- A Racine man is facing his fifth OWI charge after police say he jumped into Lake Michigan to try and escape. It all happened at the Reefpoint Marina on Friday night, Aug. 9. Police say the man jumped into the water and hid under one of the docks. What he said was in the water had police questioning his sobriety.

Body camera footage captured the man struggling with officers trying to arrest him.

"He indicated he was looking for pedophiles and cartel, and that he was going to bust the cartel," said Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling.

Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said statements made by 38-year-old Cesar Angeles, are just more proof that he should have never been behind the wheel of a car.

Angeles is accused of first backing his car into the car of a security guard before fleeing the scene of the accident on foot. He then jumped into the water.

Christopher Schmaling

"Our boat patrol happened to be in the area and located him hiding in the water underneath a pier," said Schmaling.

Schmaling says once out of the water, Angeles resisted arrest and refused all field sobriety tests.

"This all could have been prevented," Schmaling said. "Think about how many people's lives he put at risk last night."

What concerns Schmaling about the arrest, is Angeles already has four OWI convictions.

"He still has, well did have a valid driver's license up to this point which should be concerning to all of us. He clearly hasn't learned his lesson and I'm hoping this fifth offense, once he goes in front of a circuit court judge, that they make an example out of him."

Angeles is being held on the following charges with a bond set at $5,300:

The blood tests have not come back but Sheriff Schmaling expects it will reveal Angeles was well over the legal limit.