A single vehicle crash in January 2017 has resulted in 5th Offense Felony Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) Charges for a Siren, WI woman.
According to the criminal complaint, Sharon Mensen, of Siren, WI, has been charged in Burnett County Circuit Court for Class G Felony 5th Offense OWI charges following on incident on January 4, 2017, in which she crashed her vehicle off State Highway 70 in Siren Township, Burnett County.
The Burnett County Sheriff's Department was dispatched after a call was received regarding a car that had crashed. When deputies arrived on scene they spoke with the caller who stated that the female driver was still inside the vehicle and that he could smell alcohol.
Deputies attempted to open the car door to get the female driver out but due to the severe damage to the front and driver's side of the vehicle, she was trapped inside. Deputies confirmed that the female driver was conscious but very slow to respond. Webster Fire Department was called in to assist with extricating the woman from the vehicle.
Officers saw a bottle of vodka on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. A wallet was found in the on the floor of the vehicle on the passenger side, with a driver's license inside which identified the driver as Sharon Mensen.
Mensen was flown to North Memorial Hospital for medical care due to her declining medical condition at the scene of the crash. The Wisconsin State Patrol assisted the Burnett County Sheriff's Department with a Search Warrant for a draw of Mensen's blood for testing, however that warrant was denied by the Judge that law enforcement contacted.
The criminal complaint states that a review of the scene of the crash indicates that Mensen's vehicle drove into the north ditch for an estimated 150 feet before it went over a raised portion of the ditch whereupon it went airborne for about 30 feet, then continued in the ditch for another 70 feet, got back onto the road, crossed the oncoming lane of traffic, drove in to the south ditch, hit a tree on the driver's side of the car, and then crashed head-on into another tree snapping that tree off at ground level causing the vehicle to turn east and drive backwards into another tree.
Mensen's prior convictions for Operating While Intoxicated are listed in the criminal complaint as follows:
- February 19, 2002, for Commercial Operating While Intoxicated in Burnett County, WI for an incident which occurred on December 19, 2001
- April 21, 2009, in Chippewa County for an incident which occurred on February 7, 2009
- April 21, 2009, in Chippewa County for an incident which occurred on February 21, 2009
- November 24, 2015, in Chippewa County for an incident which occurred on December 13, 2014.
Public record indicates that charges were filed in Burnett County Circuit Court against Mensen on February 15, 2017, and she made her initial appearance on March 8, 2017, where the Court placed her on a $5,000 signature bond. On July 17, 2017, Mensen appeared for a preliminary examination hearing and the case was bound over by the Court for further proceedings. No future court date is listed for Mensen at this time.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Jul 19, 2017 9:40 am CDT
