Felony OWI Arrests

August 18, 2026
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

Dane County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a McFarland man Monday night for his 7^th OWI. Deputies were dispatched to a truck and trailer in the ditch off Highway 138 in the town of Rutland just before 10:00 pm. When deputies arrived and made contact with the 61-year-old, he exhibited signs of impairment and was administered field sobriety tests. The man was subsequently arrested and booked into the Dane County Jail on a felony OWI charge.

Earlier in the day, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a very similar situation in the town of Springdale. A 49-year-old man from Sun Prairie had left the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Messerschmidt Drive and CTH G. Deputies located him in a nearby wooded area. After being transported to a local hospital, he was arrested on a 5th OWI and Felony Bail Jumping. He is currently being held in the Dane County Jail.

This comes as law enforcement across Wisconsin kicks off the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign to raise awareness and prevent impaired driving. 

“When we see drivers with multiple OWIs, we know there are likely substance use disorders at play,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. “We recognize that treatment and recovery are part of breaking this cycle, but we also have to hold impaired drivers accountable for putting lives at risk.”

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over runs from August 19 to September 7, 2026.