Waukesha man accused of driving drunk, threatening sheriff's deputy

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A 70-year-old Waukesha man is accused of threatening to "shoot" a Waukesha County sheriff's deputy after he was arrested for allegedly driving drunk. The accused is Kenneth Voeltz – and he faces the following criminal counts: 

• Threat to a law enforcement officer
• Lewd and Lascivious behavior
• Resisting an officer

Tip leads to traffic stop

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, Waukesha County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a possible drunk driver at a restaurant/bar on W. Sunset Drive on Saturday evening, April 5. It was an off-duty Waukesha police officer that called in the tip. That officer "observed an intoxicated male attempting to drive away," the complaint says. The officer provided to dispatch a license plate number and description of the driver.

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Moments later, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle "as it violated a stop sign," the complaint says. The driver behind the wheel was identified as the defendant, Kenneth Voeltz.

The deputy executed standard field sobriety tests with the defendant. He determined "the defendant was highly intoxicated and placed the defendant under arrest for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants," the complaint says. While being read his rights, the complaint says the defendant refused to submit to an evidentiary chemical test of his breath.

Search warrant obtained

What we know:

The defendant was taken to Waukesha Memorial Hospital. On the way, a search warrant was obtained for the withdrawal of the defendant's blood. Voeltz said he would not cooperate with the blood draw. At the time, the defendant was double handcuffed to a rail.

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Later, the defendant became cooperative and one of his hands was removed from being cuffed. When the deputy showed the warrant for the blood draw, the defendant "snatched the warrant from the (deputy's) hands and threw it to the floor. After (the deputy) picked up the search warrant, the defendant stood up while yelling, '(Expletive) you'" and exposed himself. The defendant was again put in double handcuffs.

What they're saying:

The deputy ultimately drove the defendant from Waukesha Memorial Hospital to the Waukesha County Jail. 

During that drive, the complaint says the defendant threatened to "shoot" the deputy and said the deputy was "going to die," and that the deputy "should be afraid."

What's next:

Voeltz made his initial appearance in Waukesha County court on Monday, April 7. The court commissioner set a signature bond at $5,000.

Voeltz is due back in court for a hearing on April 15.