Ashwaubenon man arrested twice for OWI after graduation party
By WBAY
ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WBAY) - Five-thousand dollars cash bail was set Monday for an 18-year-old Ashwaubenon man was arrested twice for OWI in less than three hours time Sunday.
Ashwaubenon Public Safety says they received a call at 4:20 a.m. about a crash in the 2100 block of S. Broadway St. A vehicle hit a light pole there.
Police say the driver, identified as Preston Bierhals, said he was coming home from a graduation party.
He was arrested for 1st Offense OWI and released to an adult who signed a responsibility agreement to not let the man drive.
But that didn't stick. At 7 a.m., an officer working traffic detail for a triathalon went into Ashwaubomay Park and found the same 18-year-old man driving another vehicle.
Police gave him his second OWI and learned he was out on a bail for a prior felony.
The man is being held at the Brown County Jail on Felony Bail Jumping Charges.
Ashwaubenon's Public Safety Department says three people had very little regard for the law in this situation Sunday morning.
That includes whoever gave Bierhals alcohol, the adult who let him get behind the wheel again, and Bierhals himself who made the decision to drive drunk twice.
Ashwaubenon Public Safety didn't investigate the graduation party because Bierhals didn't tell them where it was.
But they are considering requesting charges against the adult Bierhals was released to.
They say that person signed a responsibility agreement to not allow Bierhals to drive.
"This recipe for disaster just kept repeating itself, and thankfully there was some intervention out there that stopped him," said Captain Jody Crocker of Ashwaubenon Public Safety.
If Bierhals posts bond, the court ordered absolute sobriety, staying away from taverns and liquor stores, and not driving without a valid drivers license.
This situation brings underage drinking and social hosting back into the spotlight.
"There's a huge responsibility that does on your shoulders when you throw a party and are providing to alcohol, especially if you're providing alcohol to underage people," said Captain Jody Crocker.
A bill in the Wisconsin Assembly could end the social host loophole which makes it harder to charge adults who provide alcohol for those who are underage in their homes.
The bill would clarify the word "premises" to include more than just places that have liquor licenses but to homes and personal property.
"Now there is unfortunately no hosting penalty, so what this does is institute a 500 dollar fine statewide which then increases for repeat offenses," said Rep. Andre Jacque (R) De Pere.
The bill passed the Assembly State Affairs committee in May.
Rep. Jacque requested a floor vote later this month.