Posted on 06/21/2005 3:34:52 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
WAUKESHA - A former Oconomowoc police officer faces a disorderly conduct charge for allegedly firing a gun randomly out the window of a car he was driving during a night out drinking.
A criminal complaint alleges David R. Borenz, 30, of Oconomowoc, told police he could not remember the Nov. 3 incident because he drank about 14 beers and perhaps two shots of liquor the night he went out in Oconomowoc with a friend and a fellow city police officer.
Borenz’s friend allegedly was a passenger in the car and saw him drive up to an automatic teller machine at 174 E. Wisconsin Ave. that night, fail to get money from the machine and then grab a semi-automatic handgun from the center console and point it at the ATM. The other off-duty officer, Gregory Miller, allegedly told Borenz to not be stupid, the complaint said.
Borenz then allegedly drove out of the ATM parking lot, onto Highway 67 and suddenly grabbed the gun from on the seat between his legs, firing it twice out the open driver’s window, the complaint said. The trio then allegedly went to other taverns and kept drinking.
The allegations against Borenz came to light when the friend who was with him that night was arrested for drunken driving. The friend allegedly told police officers he would cooperate with an investigation into Borenz’s behavior.
Miller was not involved with that other incident, the complaint said. However, Oconomowoc Police Chief Hugh Martin on May 10 asked the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department to investigate Borenz about the alleged shooting.
When questioned by investigators, Borenz allegedly remembered going to the ATM machine on Wisconsin Avenue but said his memory was foggy about what happened after that. He recalled going to more taverns but knew few details, the complaint said.
A detective told Borenz he was accused of firing a gun out of the car window. Borenz allegedly said he wished his memory was clear and could not be sure the incident happened, the complaint said.
In September, Borenz filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging he suffered retaliation within the department for opposing discrimination by a sergeant who had allegedly used racist language. The EEOC ruled there was no retaliation but a hostile environment existed. Borenz submitted his letter of resignation May 31 and the move took effect a few days later.
If convicted of the disorderly conduct charge, Borenz could spend 90 days in the Waukesha County Jail. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court July 25.
James Kogutkiewicz can be reached at jkogutkiewicz@conleynet.com.
What could go wrong here?
so his excuse is "I was too drunk to remember what I was doing while driving"?
Huh?
It's a good defense, what's wrong with you? /sarcasm
Funny how life and death rules of where to aim stays with you through memory lapses. :-)
"Here, hold muh beer!"
And shooting!
FMCDH(BITS)
Only police can be trusted with guns
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