By Shereen Siewert
An argument in a Wausau parking lot led to a charge of seventh-offense drunken driving for a Merrill man, who was arrested in July and charged this week in Marathon County Circuit Court.
William Morgan, 48, will be summoned into court Oct. 5 for an initial appearance on the felony charge.
Police were called just after 1 a.m. on July 4 for a report of an intoxicated couple fighting and refusing to leave the Labor Temple parking lot. The couple then left in a Ford Expedition, traveling westbound on Stewart Avenue.
Police caught up with the driver near the underpass of Hwy. 51 at 52 Parkway and activated emergency lights and sirens to stop the vehicle. But rather than stop immediately, the driver, later identified as Morgan, began accelerating and turned northbound onto the southbound Hwy. 51 off ramp before redirecting and stopping.
A preliminary breath test showed Morgan had a 0.081 percent blood alcohol concentration, about four times the 0.02 limit imposed on him due to his six prior convictions, according to court documents. He did not have a valid driver’s license when stopped.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation records show Morgan has a range of OWI convictions spanning 26 years.
A seventh OWI offense is a Class F felony, punishable by a minimum of three years and up to 12 1/2 years in prison.
