Clifford Johnson
RACINE, Wis. - Clifford Johnson of Menomonee Falls pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 17 to two of five charges against him. Johnson was accused of operating while intoxicated after fleeing a New Year's Eve traffic stop.
Johnson pleaded guilty to charges of OWI (5th) and vehicle operator flee/elude officer. Two more charges were dismissed and read into the court record. The fifth charge was dismissed outright, online court records show.
Sentencing for Johnson is now set for Feb. 28, 2025.
Case details
A Racine County sheriff's deputy tried to pull over Clifford Johnson shortly after midnight on Dec. 31, 2023. Bodycam video shows the 56-year-old sped away.
Along State Highway 20, a busy holiday weekend ramped up when the deputy spotted a swerving SUV near a Mount Pleasant frontage road. It led to a pursuit that stretched more than a mile and reached a top speed around 70 mph.
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Deputies arrested Johnson and took him to a hospital. Authorities said Johnson failed field sobriety tests and had a 0.137 BAC. The 56-year-old also admitted to drinking beer since 2 p.m. the previous afternoon, according to the sheriff's office.
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Drunk driving chase, man charged
A Menomonee Falls man is accused in a drunk driving pursuit that happened in Racine County on New Year's Eve. It would be his fifth OWI offense if convicted.
The traffic stop was part of the Racine County Sheriff's Office Alcohol Saturation Program, which keeps an eye out for drunk drivers during the New Year's weekend.
Johnson was arrested for his fifth OWI offense. Prosecutors said he was driving on a revoked license due to his prior OWI convictions when he fled the deputy.