New Year's OWI arrests, crashes; MCSO says timing stands out

MILWAUKEE - The New Year's holiday is all about starting the year with a bang, but the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said it hopes for anything but that on the roads.

New Year's Eve is one of the agency's busiest nights as deputies keep an eye out for people who may be drinking and driving. 

"A lot of times people are drifting in and out of their lane," Sgt. Daniel Hansen said.

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The sheriff's office sergeant said, this New Year's, the agency made 10 OWI arrests – six of which were just six traffic stops, while four were OWI crashes. That's down from last year when deputies made 14 arrests.

"I think most people are finally getting the message that it's not worth it, so I hope to see that trend continue next year," Hansen said.

Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO)

However, Hansen said the timing of some of this year's arrests stands out. The four crashes happened between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. on New Year's Day.

"People need to understand that just because you had a couple hours of sleep after a night of drinking doesn’t mean it’s safe for you to be driving," Hansen said.

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Hansen said the sheriff's office wants to continue making highways as safe as possible. 

"We are trying to cut down on the speeding, reckless driving, the inattentive driving, all the things that cause crashes," he said.

While fewer arrests mark progress, authorities said they still want that number down to zero. They're trying to educate people on the costs that come with an OWI – from fines and attorney fees to even losing a job.