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Published - Tuesday, July 15, 2008

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Man arrested for 8th OWI


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Felony charges were filed Monday against a 55-year-old La Crosse man with a revoked license arrested early Sunday for his eighth drunken driving violation.

A La Crosse police officer stopped a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT driven by Roger Wells, of 919 Vine St. No. 2, at about 1:45 a.m. in the 100 block of Lang Drive after Wells almost struck the squad car as he drifted into the eastbound lane, according to the criminal complaint filed in La Crosse County Circuit Court.
Wells did not immediately stop when the officer activated his lights and siren. The passenger-side tires collided with the curb as Wells pulled over, the complaint stated.

Wells had difficulty locating his identification card and removing it from his wallet.

The officer smelled alcohol on his breath. Wells claimed he drank two or three beers and told the officer the legal limit for driving was 0.5 percent, police report.

He had a 0.23 percent preliminary breath test, according to reports. About six grams of marijuana was found in his pants pocket during arrest, the complaint stated.

Wells was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and with a prohibited alcohol concentration, both eighth offense, operating a motor vehicle after revocation-second offense and possession of THC.

He has drunken driving convictions in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, two in 1996 and 1998 and is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond. His preliminary hearing is set for 11 a.m. July 24.

Anne Jungen can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or ajungen@lacrossetribune.com.
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mossberg590 wrote on Jul 18, 2008 10:41 PM:

" Hey, for community service, he can drive a few Judges around town. "

Will U. Snugglewiffme wrote on Jul 16, 2008 5:06 PM:

" In response to mby: "Oh" did it hit a nerve with a Bud drinker, oh and i'm not conservative but i do think beer suck's, and another thing not that i'm saying i am but better to be fat than a blithering moron like you "

ya ok wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:25 PM:

" How has this board turned to politics? This has nothing to do with anyone but the offender. Let's for a second take into consideration how many times he has driven drunk without being caught I can guarantee many more than 8! Alcoholics cause pain and suffereing to everyone around them so why don't you all focus on blaming the person not the world. If you want to blame anyone else blame the judge who makes the decisions. There are children involved and a community put at risk by all drunk drivers, why not focus on how to change the laws in our community and how Lacrosse worships alcohol. "

DutchBoy wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:51 PM:

" A careful examination of the record will show that the majority of Mr. Wells convictions occurred during the Clinton years. I guess the prospect of a return to those nightmare years with the politics of personal destruction, covert spying on citizens, murders and coverups with the possible election of Barrack Hussein Obama were too much for poor Mr. Wells to endure. "

Anna wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:34 PM:

" 8 OWIs is a bit, um, excessive. The man obviously can't control himself so someone needs to do it for him. He's had enough chances in the backwards, drunk-driving tolerant state of Wisconsin. "

kamikazefaase wrote on Jul 15, 2008 6:41 PM:

" To "Dutchboy" and fools like "fishingpro": You're blaming Obama for an individual's ignornace and behavior? When are you going to hold Bushy boy for his? Thanks "mby" for telling "Will U Snugglewiffme" about the failure of prohibition. He needs to do his homework. The questions I have are these: 1.) How does someone who has EIGHT DWI's get only a $5000 CASH bond; 2.) Why wasn't this person serving more or maximum time for his previous offenses because obviously of his disregard for drunk driving laws; and 3.) Where did he get the car? If we laws on the books pertaining to him not being eligible to drive, why can't we deny such individual the means of obtaining the very means that can harm the public...the car? Take away the car and prevent him from getting one by also penalizing whoever permits such use and this will reduce the problem. "

ya ok wrote on Jul 15, 2008 5:30 PM:

" Are these comments even about this story anymore? FYI his last DWI he led police on a high speed chase then crashed into someone's house! Obviously he needs more time in jail to think about his actions. Maybe by then he will be too old to drive. "

Sully wrote on Jul 15, 2008 4:47 PM:

" Great response mby. Start name calling. That will show us all how smart you must be. I agree with your point. However who will take you seriously if you blog with such unprovoked venom, and stereotypes? "

mby wrote on Jul 15, 2008 3:53 PM:

" So Will....what you are saying is if we outlaw alcohol then crime, domestic disturbances, etc. will eliminate it's self? Your either very young, or very old. Look at history, "outlawing" something does not make any problems go away and in most cases increases them. Pick up a history book, google prohibition, go to the library, something, educate yourself instead of making your self look like a fat, white, male republican that thinks that controling people is the answer "

Sully wrote on Jul 15, 2008 3:36 PM:

" What does 30 or 40 years ago have to do with drunk driving. Can You explain. We are listening. "

Will U. Snugglewiffme wrote on Jul 15, 2008 3:00 PM:

" GOOD RESULT'S IF PROHIBITION WOULD "Rightfully" HAPPEN AGAIN
:Crime would plummet:Burglary/theft, domestic abuse/disputes, murder, rape,. so would car crashes and accidental death's

WHY IT NEVER WILL:Politician's make money off off tax from alchohol sales, drunks and liberal suck-up's crying foul that the constitution is being violated "

CONCERNED MOM wrote on Jul 15, 2008 3:00 PM:

" Has he maybe thought about walking to the bars, dang he is on Vine street. Ir is he afraid the river bandit will change his MO ? "

murphy wrote on Jul 15, 2008 1:21 PM:

" Ah, yes--the old 'I'm-too-poor-to-pay-the-mortgage-but-have-enough-money-for-booze-and-cigarettes' excuse. It's always somebody else's fault isn't it? Blame the politicians, the laws, the economic situations. But who put the glass to his mouth and drove the vehicle? "

mby wrote on Jul 15, 2008 1:15 PM:

" Amen, styx "

Styx 'n' Stones wrote on Jul 15, 2008 12:41 PM:

" ACE ~ what happened to your blog? The goody-two-shoes control freaks deleted it under the guise of 'updating the story'. "

ACE wrote on Jul 15, 2008 12:17 PM:

" You people need to go back about thirty to forty years to understand the laws. But you goody two shoe control freaks think you know everything. What happened to my blog yesterday? "

Bob wrote on Jul 15, 2008 12:09 PM:

" Only in Drunkonsin. Cheers! "

Willie wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:21 AM:

" His driving records probably show 9 other arrests for OWI, but he has 7 convictions to make it his 8th. Upon arrest they use the driving record until the DA's office supplies the courts with the conviction record. He may also be one of the repeat drunk drivers that had some of his convictions rolled into one for the record. A few did that right before they made 5 and above a felony. They wanted to make sure they got a cushion so the wouldn't go to prison if they got it again. Kind of shows they don't intend to stop drinking and driving doesn't it? They should confiscate their cars upon arrest and if it belongs to someone else, too bad. If there is someone else in the car legal to drive, they should be arrested for aiding and abetting. "

thefurbyfamily wrote on Jul 15, 2008 10:01 AM:

" Hey, is it the 8th or the 10th or the 18th.????Aren't there any court records kept on drunk drivers to prove it one way or the other, or do drunk driver cases just evaportate??? Either way, any more than one (1) is too much. I still say lock him up somewhere, eitehr in jail or a mental institution, and throw away the key. I don't know why all the comments from yesterday were erased, but it seems that there is a cover up somewhere. Who was he drinking with???? "

Rickey wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:43 AM:

" Blaming Schumer on the Bank problems is as stupid as blaming someone calling the fire dept for the fire , Turn off log cabin republican 1410 and watch real news You are probably one of the 12% that believe Obama is a Muslim that is NOT TRUE . Also did You watch the Dow drop while Bernanke and president Hoover are talking "

DutchBoy wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:17 AM:

" More drunk drivers could be out today if Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) does his best to torpedo another bank or thrift. "

mby wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:14 AM:

" didn't yesterday's news say that it was his 10th DWI? Good reporting Tribune. Are you trying to get the scoop so you just pull a number out of your butt? Is it 10 or 8? "

blogger wrote on Jul 15, 2008 9:04 AM:

" DutchBoy - radical Islam and crack cocaine? You must have been with Mr Wells last night as your cognition seems a bit impaired. Since you seem to have a problem with Democrats dont forget about Dear Leaders substance abuse history. "

crank wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:46 AM:

" The judge should sentence this guy to a program where give him so much disulfiram that if he so much as sniffs alcohol his head will implode. "

Rickey wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:20 AM:

" More drunk drivers could be out today after watching President Hoovers press conference in an hour. Its sure to drive people to Drinkin' "

enuffalready wrote on Jul 15, 2008 8:05 AM:

" Hey Rickey:

Maybe he had just finished reading everyone of your entries and had to have a drink, or a few!! LOL "

DutchBoy wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:54 AM:

" This guy should do coke and deal crack like William Jefferson Clinton and Barrack Hussein Obama instead of get OWIs and abusing alcohol like Peg Lautenschlager, Wilbur Mills, Wayne Hays and Ted Kennedy. "

fishingpro wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:52 AM:

" Right on Dutch Boy!!!! "

Rickey wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:35 AM:

" NO "

enuffalready wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:28 AM:

" Rickey:

S.D.D.D.

Rickey, I was just wondering if you ever plan to offer anything positive to the conversation? "

Rickey wrote on Jul 15, 2008 7:18 AM:

" This Guy Should have been like the GOP senators wives and steal drugs to get high and NOT be like Bush and Cheney getting Drunk Driving Tickets "

DutchBoy wrote on Jul 15, 2008 6:59 AM:

" Given the radical Islamic background of Barrack Hussein Obama's father and uncle (who helped raise him) and Mr. Obama's radical socialist background and policies, how could one not be driven to drink? "

Rickey wrote on Jul 15, 2008 6:16 AM:

" I think the economy ,mortgage foreclosures ,airline lay offs , GM downsizing , Deficit spending , Endless war , inflation and the GOP middle class squeeze is driving everyone to Drinking "


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