By Shereen Siewert
WAUSAU — A 56-year-old Wausau man accused of his seventh drunken driving charge is being held on a $2,500 cash bond, court records show.
Christopher Wilke was arrested just after 2 a.m. Sunday, shortly after leaving the parking lot of the Glass Hat tavern in Wausau. According to the criminal complaint filed Monday in Marathon County Circuit Court, a Wausau Police officer on patrol saw Wilke leave, then ran a check of his license plate to determine the vehicle was registered to an owner with no license issued.
After following Wilke for several blocks, the officer ultimately pulled Wilke over for having a loud muffler, according to the police report. A preliminary breath test showed Wilke’s blood alcohol concentration was at 0.13 percent, nearly seven times the 0.02 percent limit imposed on him due to his previous OWI convictions.
Wilke was previously convicted of drunken driving in 1996, 2001, 2004, and three times in 2006, court records show. If he is convicted, Wilke faces between three and 12 1/2 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.
He will be eligible to have his driving privileges reinstated in three years.
A judge on Thursday will determine if Wilke qualifies for a public defender in his case, and a preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 31.
