By Shereen Siewert
A 54-year-old Hatley man is facing his sixth drunken driving charge after blood test results showed a blood alcohol concentration 12 times his limit.
Court documents filed Sept. 8 in Marathon County Circuit Court allege Darryn West’s BAC was 0.243 shortly after he was pulled over in October in the town of Franzen. Though the legal limit for driving in Wisconsin is 0.08 percent, West is prohibited from driving with more than a 0.02 percent BAC due to his five prior OWI convictions.
Police say they pulled West over at about 12:30 a.m. the morning of Oct. Oct. 26 after allegedly observing him speeding and weaving within his lane. West initially didn’t stop for the officer, driving on for about three-quarters of a mile and nearly struck a deer before coming to a halt in the middle of an intersection on Hwy. 49 at McDivitt Road, police said.
West allegedly told police he had been drinking at a nearby tavern and said, “you guys got me, man,” but then grabbed his keys and started the vehicle, apparently attempting to flee, according to court documents.
Officers used a taser to make the arrest, according to the incident report.
A chemical test of West’s blood was submitted to the state Department of Hygiene and returned in November, but charges were not filed until this week.
West now faces charges of sixth-offense operating while intoxicated, operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration and two counts of obstruction. During an initial appearance Tuesday, Circuit Judge Mike Moran ordered West held on a $25,000 bond with the first $10,000 to be paid in cash.
West, who posted bond the same day, waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Future court dates have not been set.
