OWI 5th Offense: Arrest Video

Clifford G. Johnson, a 56-year-old male from Menomonee Falls, WI, failed to obey the emergency lights on the Sergeant’s patrol squadPhoto byRacine County Sheriff Department

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RACINE - During a two-day Alcohol Saturation Program over the New Years holiday, where extra squad cars were specifically deployed to look for impaired drivers, the Sheriff’s Office made five arrests for Operating a Motor Vehicle While Impaired.

One of the arrests occurred on December 31, 2023, at approximately 12:15 a.m., when a Sergeant attempted to stop a vehicle for Unsafe Lane Deviations on HWY 20, traveling westbound, near the East Frontage Rd., in Mount Pleasant, WI. The vehicle made an improper left turn onto the East Frontage Rd., traveling southbound, and began to pull over. The operator, who was later identified as Clifford G. Johnson, a 56-year-old male from Menomonee Falls, WI, failed to obey the emergency lights on the Sergeant’s patrol squad and pulled away at a high rate of speed. Johnson reached a maximum speed of 70-mph before he quit fleeing the Sergeant and stopped his vehicle after just over a mile.

Additional deputies arrived on scene, and they executed a High Risk Stop. The deputies took Johnson into custody, and while doing so observed that Johnson appeared to be impaired by alcohol. The deputies checked Johnson’s driver’s record with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and learned that Johnson had a revoked driver’s license due to prior OWI’s; he was ordered to have an Ignition Interlock Device that he did not have; he had a 0.02 Blood Alcohol restriction on his driving status; and he had four prior convictions for OWI.

Deputies arrested Johnson and transported him to the Aurora Medical Center on HWY 20. The Sergeant had Johnson perform the Standardized Field Sobriety Test which Johnson did not successfully complete. The Sergeant had Johnson blow into a Preliminary Breath Test which registered 0.137. The Sergeant had medical personnel take a sample of Johnson’s blood which will be tested at the Wisconsin Crime Laboratory. Clifford admitted to drinking beer since 2:00 p.m. the previous afternoon.

The Sergeant transported Johnson to the Racine County Jail where he is being held on a $17,900 bail for the following offenses:

• Operating a Motor Vehicle While Impaired 5th Offense

• Fleeing and Eluding

• Failure to Install an Ignition Interlock Device

• Operating While Revoked due to prior OWI

Sheriff Schmaling stated, “It is crucial that people never operate a motor vehicle while impaired. The Sheriff’s Office is constantly working to identify and apprehend impaired drivers. If someone chooses to put the community at risk by driving while impaired, they will eventually face legal consequences, including being arrested and taken to jail.”

Please note that all individuals who have been taken into custody or issued citations are considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.