Wis. Rapids Woman Faces Fifth OWI Charge
By Joe Bachman
A 54-year-old Wisconsin Rapids woman is facing her fifth charge of operating while intoxicated.
According to police reports on Aug. 4, a vehicle was stopped by Ranger Rd. on Highway Z in the town of Saratoga due to an unusually noisy muffler.
The driver, identified as Julie Stand, was observed to be smoking a cigarette and told the officer that she was unable to roll the driver’s side window down. She denied drinking when asked by the officer.
Police asked Strand to step out of the vehicle, and Strand allegedly admitted to having two shots of alcohol earlier in the afternoon. Strand would fail field sobriety tests and registered a .195 on a breathalyzer test — well over the legal limit.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Strand has four prior convictions of operating while intoxicated. If convicted, Strand faces up to six years imprisonment and up to $10,000 in fines.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.
