(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. – A Kenosha man with three prior OWI convictions is now facing a felony after police say he was caught driving erratically through residential streets Sunday night, then registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.267—more than triple the legal limit in Wisconsin.
Christopher L. Newberry, 47, appeared in court Monday afternoon, where Court Commissioner William Michel II ordered him held on a $7,000 cash bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 10.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were dispatched to the 7800 block of 23rd Avenue just before 8 p.m. after a caller reported a white Ford truck labeled “Brighton Security” was swerving between lanes, failing to use turn signals, and nearly striking multiple vehicles. The driver allegedly ran a red light and took such a wide turn that he crossed into oncoming traffic.
When officers arrived, they located the vehicle parked crookedly along the curb and saw a man—later identified as Newberry—stumbling away on the sidewalk. A nearby resident directed officers to a house where the man had gone. When police knocked, a woman confirmed Newberry was inside, and he came outside to speak with them.
Officers said Newberry smelled strongly of alcohol, had glassy eyes, and slurred speech. He admitted to drinking after work, saying he had stopped at a bar following a 13-hour shift before heading home. He refused to perform field sobriety tests and was arrested.
At Aurora Medical Center, Newberry declined a voluntary blood draw, prompting police to obtain a warrant. A blood sample was taken, although lab results are still pending. However, once booked into the Kenosha County Jail, Newberry submitted to a breath test, which registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.267—more than three times the legal limit of 0.08.
A review of court records shows that Newberry was previously convicted of OWI in 2000, 2007, and 2016, all in Kenosha County. As a result, this new charge is classified as a Class H felony.
If convicted, Newberry faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. State law mandates a minimum sentence of 60 days in jail for a fourth OWI, along with additional penalties including license revocation and installation of an ignition interlock device.
Newberry remains free on bond while awaiting further court proceedings.
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6 Responses
I believe once you have 3 OWI convictions, the legal limit becomes .02. So he was over 13 times the legal limit for someone with 3 priors.
Ummm… I’m thinking Kevin would have caught that one if that were true.
After the second DUI you should have never had another driver’s license given to the drive ever again. What a fool to think you never would get God again…🙄
Deport him!!!
3 strikes and you’re out! Confiscate the vehicle and sell at auction. Loose drivers license for life.
This will not solve the problem but it’s a start👍🏻
I’m glad no one was injured by this clown.