WI Motorist Gets The Minimum Sentence For 8th OWI
Wisconsin's revised, but still-weak OWI laws, provide a sentence of three-to-10 years for an 8th conviction.
Yes, still weak: Wisconsin is the only state in the country to treat a first offense as a ticket, not a criminal offense.
But Wisconsin judges still refuse to go heavy on people who are enabled by the crime-free/no-jail first offense and acquire repeat convictions for OWI that endanger public safety on the highways; the Two Rivers man in this case was more than three-times the 0.08 standard for legal intoxication while driving, yet got the minimum period of incarceration.
Yes, he also gets supervised probation, mandatory treatment and fines, but with time already served will be able to get behind the wheel again relatively soon.
Would we be so tolerant of someone convicted for the eighth time of any other form of public endangerment?
1 comment:
You would think this would be a nonpartisan issue yet I suspect there is lobbying on both sides from various booze groups that advocate against increased penalties. Even attorneys have some skin in the drink and drive defense game.
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