Report of Erratic Driver Leads to 5th OWI Charges for Spooner Woman

Report of Erratic Driver Leads to 5th OWI Charges for Spooner Woman

Deborah Osborn, of Spooner, WI, is charged in Washburn County Circuit Court with 5th offense operating while intoxicated (OWI), after the Washburn County Sheriff’s Office followed up with a report of an erratic driver on April 7, 2018, shortly before 3p.

According to the criminal complaint filed against Osborn, it was reported to Washburn County Sheriff’s Dispatch by an unnamed caller that a vehicle was driving erratically in the area of Springbrook, WI and Earl, WI. The caller further reported that the vehicle was swerving in the roadway and driving at speeds up to 70 miles an hour at times.

Deputies located the vehicle based on the description and information provided to Washburn County Sheriff’s Dispatch. The vehicle was parked in the roadway on Correll Road, near Earl, WI. A deputy made contact with the driver to conduct a welfare check. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Deborah Osborn.

The criminal complaint goes on to state that the deputy observed that Osborn was behaving in a fidgety manner and that her speed was thick, stuttered and slurred. The deputy attempted to conduct field sobriety testing with Osborn, however, due to the fact that she was allegedly stumbling and acting confused, the testing was unable to be successfully completed. 

Osborn declined to do a preliminary breath test, and she was placed under arrest for 5th  offense OWI, as a check of her driving record confirmed that she had four prior convictions for OWI.

According to the criminal complaint, Osborn also declined to provide a voluntary sample of her blood for evidentiary testing to determine the level of alcohol in her blood, so the deputy applied for a search warrant for a sample of her blood. That search warrant was granted and a blood test result attached to the criminal complaint shows that Osborn’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.200.

Online circuit court records show that Osborn made an initial appearance on her charges on April 30, 2018, and is scheduled to appear again later this month for a preliminary examination hearing.

The maximum penalty for a conviction of 5th offense OWI is is imprisonment for not more than 10 years, a maximum fine of $25,000, or both. 

Osborn is also charged with Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The criminal complaint states that a pop can that had been cut and utilized as a smoking device was located within her vehicle.

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: May 02, 2018 2:54 pm CDT

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Crime & Court

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