Fran McLaughlin
Public Information Officer
Cell: 414-254-9488
Phone: 414-278-5226
frances.mclaughlin@milwaukeecountywi.gov
Milwaukee, WI – Yesterday, at about 2:30 a.m. during a speed saturation enforcement, a deputy stopped a speeding vehicle on I-43 southbound. The driver, a 33-year-old man, had a revoked license for an OWI-related offense and was taken into custody. His passenger’s driver’s license was suspended, requiring the vehicle to be towed.
The deputy discovered two handguns in a bag in the vehicle. The driver was a convicted felon, and faces charges of Felon in Possession of Firearm, a felony punishable by up to 12.5 years in prison. The passenger, a 36-year-old woman, was arrested for Felon in Possession of Firearm (Party to a Crime), also a felony punishable by up to 12.5 years in prison.
Sheriff Richard Schmidt said, “A pistol-packing convicted felon driving recklessly on the freeway is a recipe for disaster. Saturation patrols are designed to stop dangerous, and in this case, criminal behavior. Law-abiding citizens deserve to travel on safe freeways, and we are committed to that end!”
The firearms will be sent to the State Crime Lab for additional testing.
Sheriff Richard Schmidt implemented saturation patrols across all shifts to focus on motorists’ tendencies to increase speeds over the limit during warm weather months. The random patrols will continue to clamp down on reckless driving and dangerously high speeding.
Last week, from 05/31/18 to 06/06/18, 315 traffic citations were issued, 188 for speeding:
11-15 mph over: 12 30-34 mph over: 4
16-19 mph over: 40 35-39 mph over: 2
20-24 mph over: 89 50+ mph over: 1
25-29 mph over: 26 Unreasonable-imprudent speed: 14
Crashes YTD – 2097; 3 fatalities OWI arrests YTD: 393 OWI (36 were OWI/Drugs)
The focus of the saturation patrols is to reduce crashes, serious injury and property damage, and is not based on generating revenue. Construction zone safety is also compromised by speeding, reckless drivers. Motorists need to obey Wisconsin’s MOVE OVER LAW, moving over a lane for emergency vehicles and tow trucks, or slowing to under 40 mph if unable to safely change lanes.
