Posted on 09/25/2009 2:16:15 AM PDT by csvset
WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Rep. Jeff Wood has been arrested again for suspected driving while intoxicated.
The State Patrol says the 40-year-old Independent from Bloomer was arrested about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on Interstate 39 near Wausau following a report of a vehicle being driven recklessly in Portage County.
The agency says investigators found a prescription bottle of Lorazepam, an anxiety medication, with seven pills in it after stopping Wood's vehicle and noticing he looked sleepy. The prescription of 45 pills had been filled Tuesday.
A message left for Wood at the Capitol was not immediately returned.
Wood was charged with third-offense drunken driving and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after he crashed into a highway sign in December in Columbia County. His attorney, Tracey Wood, declined comment when The Associated Press reached her Thursday.
Just a damn Junkie.
Independent?? Do we have any Independents left? Is this a State Rep?
Yes, State Rep. He’s an ex-Republican member that switched to be an Independent. He was almost defeated by a Republican challenger last November. Won by just 175 votes.
Was he a RINO before he gave up the fraud?
That was brutal.
He was WRONG to tip pills and drive.
Maybe he was looking for Mercy Park n stay.
Hope he spills his guts, before he does a hangin from the FED tree.
Black Out with a wide perma marker.
If that is true.
How the hell did he even get up on two wobbly legs to get into the vehicle.
I highly doubt it. Even is they were the lowest dose.
The conservative Republican who ran against him, Don Moge, a great guy by the way, lost to Wood by all of 200 or 300 or so votes.
I’m willing to bet there’s some buyers’ remorse in Western Wisconsin right now.
Rep. Jeff Wood charged with 3rd OWI, drug offense
By RYAN J. FOLEY
Associated Press Writer
MADISON A Wisconsin lawmaker was formally charged Tuesday with third-offense drunken driving and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The criminal charges filed by the Columbia County District Attorneys office against Rep. Jeffrey Wood, I-Bloomer, stem from his Dec. 12 arrest by the Wisconsin State Patrol.
District Attorney Jane Kohlwey said her office is still considering whether to add civil charges of public urination and failure to remain at the scene of an accident.
A trooper investigating reports of a drunken driver on Interstate 90 found an intoxicated Wood urinating on the side of the road, according to a criminal complaint. A search of Woods vehicle turned up two small bags of marijuana and a pipe. Wood failed a sobriety test and a breath test showed his blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit for driving.
Wood, 39, represents a northwestern Wisconsin district and is the only independent in the Wisconsin Legislature. He had been a member of the Republican Party before switching his affiliation last year. Democrats who won control of the Assembly made him a committee chairman but he gave that post up after his arrest.
Wood has apologized for using poor judgment but has rejected calls to resign. He is expected to make an initial court appearance on the charges Feb. 4. He was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
After initially saying he had no plans to hire an attorney, Wood has retained Madison lawyer Tracey Wood, who has experience defending suspected drunken drivers.
Tracey Wood said Tuesday she had not reviewed the complaint and could not comment on it. She said the lawmaker hired her to make sure he was not treated more harshly than other defendants because of his high-profile job.
The charges come as the Legislature considers measures to get tougher on drunken driving, which is a major public safety problem in beer-loving Wisconsin.
Wood faces between 30 days and one year in jail and the loss of his license for up to three years on the third-offense operating while intoxicated charge. He also may be required to install an ignition interlock device for up to one year when he regains his driving privileges.
Driving records show Wood was convicted of drunken driving on Aug. 27, 1990, and his license was suspended for eight months. After he got his license back, Wood refused to submit to a blood alcohol test on Oct. 26, 1991, in connection with another traffic stop. He was convicted again, and his license was revoked for 18 months.
The possession of marijuana charge carries up to six months behind bars, while the paraphernalia charge could add another 30 days imprisonment, according to the criminal complaint.
Wood has said he was drinking with friends in Madison on a Thursday night before he attempted to make the 200-mile drive home to Bloomer. The patrol received reports of an intoxicated driver weaving on the highway and Wood eventually drove his vehicle off the left side of the road, smashing into a signpost and a snowbank. One witness said Woods vehicle went about five feet in the air before returning to the road.
A trooper caught up with Wood about 40 miles north of Madison, where he was urinating and his 1998 Buick Skylark had a flat tire. Wood told the trooper he did not know how he got the flat and suggested that it happened during parking, the complaint said.
Wood failed a sobriety test, and the trooper smelled marijuana in his vehicle. The trooper confiscated two bags hidden in the center arm rest that had about 4.9 grams of marijuana and an estimated street value of $35.
jail time
I=idiot!
The guy should resign and try to get some help. Treatment might help if he's willing to make an effort.
Must’ve been, since the Dems rewarded him for his Indy switch. I’m glad he belongs to them now.
Or a very large Acorn office......
That’d make Keef Richards cover his face in embarrassment. My doctor prescribed it as a supplement for severe anxiety attacks, warning me it was highly addictive. I took one before going to the dentist’s office when they were going to fill a mess of cavities, and all I remember was putting my face up against the fish tank when I got in their office and I started having a convo with them (the fish). I didn’t consider it a good feeling, you just float and start disassociating with reality (and I have balance problems/labyrinthitis, so it made the symptoms even worse for dizziness). I couldn’t see how it was “addictive”, since I couldn’t imagine who in their right mind would want to feel like a funky, sleepy and extremely dizzy amoeba.
I think Moge can start measuring for the drapes. Looks like there’s going to be a special election coming up...
Okay, we know what he’s been on - what’s the excuse for the rest of them?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.