Green Bay, Wisconsin man, Douglas Kluth arrested on 11th DUI while driving with a valid license. Did one state’s drink driving laws encourage bad behavior?
Also making his tabloid debut is 66 year old Wisconsin man, Douglas Kluth after cops pulled him over for drunk driving- for the eleventh time.
Kluth of Green Bay was arrested early Wednesday in Oconto County. Authorities allege he had an open beer on the center console of his car.
Officials say the State Patrol was helping with traffic when Kluth parked his vehicle and approached a trooper. The trooper saw the beer on the console.
The complaint says Kluth had a valid driver’s license. He was charged with operating while intoxicated, 10th or more offense.
WLUK-TV reports bond was set at $25,000 cash Wednesday. If convicted, Kluth faces up to 15 years in prison.
Wisconsin is the only state that treats a first-time drunken driving offense as a civil violation, not a crime. New Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has said he’s open to criminalizing first offenses.
Online court records show Kluth was sentenced to three years in prison in 2007 after pleading no contest to his 9th OWI offense in Brown County, WKYT reported.
Kluth now faces 15 years’ jail after his 11th drink driving charge.
Not immediately clear is how Kluth managed to retain his driving license despite prior DUI infractions and why he wasn’t mandated to attend treatment for alcoholism.
