As Milwaukee County has stepped up its police presence and patrols against drunk driving, more people may be defending themselves against these types of charges. One man in particular recently found himself facing two OWI citations in the same day.
According to reports, the 37-year-old wrecked his car around 2:45 p.m. on March 8, and the vehicle ended up rolling over and turned upside down on its roof. The man was able to get out the vehicle and allegedly left the scene of the accident.
A passerby who witnessed the crash apparently called 911, and the man eventually returned to the scene in another vehicle with his brother. According to reports, the 37-year-old was also the driver of the second vehicle. The man allegedly claimed that it was his brother who had wrecked the initial car, but his brother reportedly told police that he had not been driving the other car when it crashed.
Police issued the 37-year-old one OWI citation for driving the vehicle that was involved in the initial crash and another for driving the other vehicle when he returned to the scene. The man apparently had a previous OWI, meaning these were his second and third offenses.
According to reports, 12 other drivers were arrested on suspected drunk driving charges over the same weekend as part of the county’s Operation Drive Sober. In cases like these, any prior arrests, as well as the results and procedures followed in any field sobriety tests that were administered, may make a difference in how best to proceed in developing a strong defense.
Source: CBS58, “Man gets 2nd and 3rd OWI citations after rollover crash” Tiffany Shepherd, Mar. 09, 2014