Recent Drunk Driving Cases

State of Wisconsin versus Alleged Drunk Driver

Under Wisconsin laws, if you are suspected and stopped for drunk driving, and police "determine" that you might be under the influence, police must arrest you for drunk driving. You can be charged with an OWI - Operating While Under The Influence - and a PAC - violating the Prohibited Alcohol Content laws. Subsequently, police will file a police report, and go to trial to testify against you, if the matter is tried. Everything you say from the moment the police officer approaches your vehicle can and will be held against you in a court of law. Once you have a drunk driving charge on your record, subsequent charges are a crime (misdemeanor or felony) and carry mandatory jail sentences and fines (both increase with the number of offenses). A reduction from a drunk driving offense (OWI and/or PAC) to a reckless driving wipes the OWI off of your record completely.

Jackson County (Black River Falls WI) - 5th Offense OWI Reduced to 1st

Charge: 5th Offense Operating While Under the Influence

Verdict: 5th Offense OWI reduced to 1st Offense OWI

Attorney Corey Chirafisi defended a client charged with an OWI - 5th Offense. An OWI - Operating While Under Influence - is Wisconsin drunk driving charge. Under Wisconsin laws, a fifth drunk driving offense is a felony, with mandatory prison time, fines, and the possibility of additional penalties. Attorney Chirafisi attacked all four prior convictions to the fifth offense successfully; the OWI 5th charge was reduced to an OWI - 1st offense (which is a non-criminal charge in Wisconsin).

Dane County (Madison WI) - oWI & PAC .12 - Reduced to reckless driving

Charge: Operating While Under The Influence & Prohibited Alcohol Concentration of .12

Verdict: OWI Reduced to Reckless Driving

Attorney Corey Chirafisi defended a client who had been stopped in Dane County (Madison Wisconsin) and arrested for drunk driving. The state alleged that the driver had a PAC - prohibited alcohol content level of .12 and was therefore operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Attorney Chirafisi challenged the charge. The OWI charge was amended to reckless driving.

Dane County (Madison WI) - OWI & PAC .18 - reduced to reckless driving

Charge: Operating While Intoxicated & Prohibited Alcohol Concentration of .18

Verdict: OWI Reduced to Reckless Driving

In another case also involving Dane County, the defendant was arrested for drunk driving and a prohibited alcohol content level of .18. Attorney Chirafisi obtained an amended charge from OWI & PAC to reckless driving.

Dane County (Madison WI) - OWI Refusal was reasonable

Charge: Operating While Intoxicated, Refusing To Submit To a Breath or Blood Test

Verdict: Reckless Driving, Refusal Dismissed

When a person is stopped by the police on the suspicion of driving while intoxicated, and the police ask that person to submit to a test, if that person has a valid driver's license then the license was issued with an implied consent to be tested. To refuse to take a test is a violation of the implied consent. Special rules and laws apply whenever a person refuses a test, but rest assured that the police will always contend that their request for the test was reasonable.

In this particular case, the alleged drunk driver refused to take the test. Attorney Chirafisi argued on behalf of his client that the refusal was reasonable given the circumstances. The court agreed. The charges were amended to reckless driving and the refusal charge dismissed. Note that a refusal charge is counted as an OWI charge for purposes of "counting prior convictions", so even if a person is not convicted of an OWI, but is charged with refusing to submit to a test, that refusal counts as an OWI.

Marathon Co. (Wausau WI) OWI & PAC .12 reduced to reckless driving

Charge: Operating While Intoxicated & Prohibited Alcohol Concentration of .12

Verdict: Reckless Driving

Attorney Chirafisi defended a client who had been stopped and arrested for driving while intoxicated in Marathon County, Wisconsin (Wausau WI). In that case, he successfully obtained a reduction in the charges from an OWI and PAC violation to a reckless driving charge.

Dane County (Madison WI) - oWI & PAC .16 - reduced to reckless driving

Charge: Operating While Intoxicated & Prohibited Alcohol Concentration of .16

Verdict: Reckless Driving

A Wisconsin driver was arrested for OWI and PAC - prohibited alcohol content level - violations in Dane County (Madison, Wisconsin). Attorney Chirafisi successfully obtained amended charges from OWI & PAC violation to a reckless driving charge.

Dane County (Madison WI) - OWI (Drugs) - reduced to reckless

Charge: Operating While Intoxicated (by drugs)

Verdict: Reckless Driving

When a person is arrested for an OWI in Wisconsin, the law does not specify that the cause of intoxication must be alcohol. Rather, the law specifies that the person need only be impaired by "some" agent, which includes alcohol, as well as drugs.

In this case, Attorney Chirafisi defended a person who had been arrested on an OWI charge for intoxication caused by an agent other than alcohol. Attorney Chirafisi successfully obtained an amended charge from OWI to reckless driving.

Dane County (Madison WI) - OWI & PAC .10 - reduced to reckless driving

Charge: Operating While Intoxicated & Prohibited Alcohol Concentration of .10

Verdict: Reckless Driving

Attorney Corey Chirafisi obtained an amended charge for his client who was charged with an OWI & PAC violation to the charge of reckless driving.

Other Cases Defended by Attorney Chirafisi

Federal Indictment Acquittals (Not Guilty Verdicts)

For brief summaries of the types of federal indictments handled by the Chirafisi Law Office, please visit Federal Crimes - Defendants Acquitted.

Wisconsin Circuit Court Criminal Acquittals (Not Guilty Verdicts)

For brief summaries of the types of cases handled by Chirafisi Law Office for clients who had been charged by the state of Wisconsin for a criminal offense, please visit Proven Not Guilty Of Criminal Charges - State of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin County -vs- Defendant

For brief summaries of the types of cases handled by Chirafisi Law Office involving a Wisconsin county prosecution, please visit County Versus Defendant & Looses.

Free Initial Consultation

Arrested? Charged? In need of legal advice?

If you have been arrested and charged with a drunk driving or criminal offense by the state of Wisconsin or the Federal government, please contact the law office of Attorney Corey Chirafisi for a free initial consultation.

Contact Information

Chirafisi Law Offices has successfully defended many people who were charged with drunk driving offenses in the state of Wisconsin. If you have been charged with an OWI, please contact the law offices of Attorney Corey Chirafisi for a free initial consultation.
Attorney Corey Chirafisi
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