Sarah Watson. Image courtesy: City of Wausau
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — A Wausau Alderperson is facing her first OWI charge after a January crash.
According to police reports obtained by Wausau Pilot & Review, District 8 Alder Sarah Watson had a preliminary blood alcohol concentration of more than three times the legal limit in a January crash that sent one man to the hospital. The collision occurred at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Kent Street around 2 p.m. on Jan. 3.
According to police, a man was rear-ended while stopped at a red traffic signal on Kent Street.
Watson had her eyes closed and was leaning forward into her seatbelt when police arrived, raising concerns that she had been injured. When the driver’s door opened, police say Watson appeared to “wake up,” but she also appeared unaware of what was going on around her. A Wausau Police officer said he smelled intoxicants coming from Watson’s vehicle and saw Watson close her eyes several times, almost falling asleep.
Watson took a preliminary breath test after failing field sobriety tests and registering a BAC of 0.269. In Wisconsin, the limit is 0.08 percent. The results of the blood tests are still pending.
The other driver in the crash was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and later released.
A first OWI is treated like a traffic ticket in Wisconsin, with the case handled by the municipal court system. Because the accident involved an injury, criminal charges are possible at the discretion of the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office.
Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven told Wausau Pilot & Review that the DA’s office generally does not file charges in the event of a minor injury.
So far, Watson is only facing a first-time OWI charge, not a criminal charge that would land in the hands of the DA.
Watson has yet to comment on the matter. In addition to representing District 8, she also serves as the Chair of the Economic Development Committee.
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