A Somerset, WI man faces a charge of 7th Offense Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) in Burnett County Circuit Court.
According to the criminal complaint, on September 26, 2015, a Wisconsin State Trooper came upon a vehicle in Burnett County which was stopped on Lost Lake Road in the westbound lane but facing east with its headlights and taillights on.
When the trooper approached the vehicle he saw that the driver of the vehicle appeared to be sleeping and that the vehicle's engine was running. The trooper also saw an open bottle of Coors beer in the cup holder in the center console of the vehicle.
The criminal complaint continues stating that the trooper opened the driver's door of the vehicle and yelled to wake the driver while shaking his shoulder. When the driver did wake up, the trooper asked him what he was doing there, to which the driver responded, “I can't park here?” in slurred speech.
The trooper asked the driver for ID, and the driver began looking in the center console of the vehicle. A couple minutes went by, and the trooper suggested to the driver that he check his back pocket. The driver struggled to get his wallet out of his back pocket, but finally did and was identified as Ross Kuehn.
Kuehn attempted to complete the field sobriety testing as directed by the trooper, but after Kuehn nearly fell down more than once, the trooper stopped the testing to prevent possible injury to Kuehn.
Kuehn gave a preliminary breath test sample and the criminal complaint states that the result was 0.242.
When the trooper removed the open bottle of Coors beer from the truck to empty it, it was still cold and covered in condensation.
The trooper took Kuehn into custody for Operating While Intoxicated. Kuehn agreed to an evidentiary blood draw. The results of that blood draw are listed in the criminal complaint as 0.282.
If Kuehn is convicted of this 7th Offense OWI, he could face a maximum sentence of 10 years or a maximum fine of $25,000, or both.
Kuehn's next scheduled appearance in Burnett County Circuit Court is July 18, 2017.
DrydenWire.com reminds our readers that individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until convicted by a judge or jury.
Last Update: Mar 22, 2017 10:52 am CDT
