By Shereen Siewert
A Wausau man pulled over for allegedly swerving into an oncoming lane of traffic on Grand Avenue is accused of driving with a blood alcohol concentration more than 11 times the legal limit imposed on him.
Though drivers in Wisconsin are restricted to a 0.08 percent BAC, Kevin R. Kreinke, 53, is limited to driving with a BAC of 0.02 percent due to his five prior drunken driving convictions. A preliminary breath test taken after his Feb. 23 arrest registered 0.229 percent, according to court records.
He is now facing felony charges of sixth offense operating while intoxicated, a charge filed Feb. 24 in Marathon County Circuit Court. During an initial appearance Monday, Circuit Judge Jill Falstad ordered Kreinke held on a $5,000 cash bond.
According to the criminal complaint, an officer on patrol at about 2:17 a.m. Feb. 23 observed Kreinke’s vehicle driving south on Grand Avenue near Thomas Street. Kreinke “did not appear to be capable of keeping a lane,” the report states.
Dash cam video shows Kreinke moving side to side between the lane markers on Grand Avenue, then moved into the southbound lane divider and drove in both lanes for about a half block, the complaint states.
After failing field sobriety testing, Kreinke submitted a breath sample before he was arrested. Blood test results are pending.
Court records show Kreinke was previously convicted in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2007. A preliminary hearing is set for March 4.
