Janesville man arrested for 10th OWI
Photo 
Scott Ross
JANESVILLE — Despite nine previous convictions, Scott R. Ross is suspected of drunken driving in Janesville on Wednesday and getting stuck in the snow.
He was on probation for previous operating while intoxicated charges, had spent time in prison and had his license revoked.
Yet he is accused of driving on the lawn of an apartment complex and nearly hitting the building.
He has a history of drunken driving spanning more than 20 years. Cases such as his—where a man repeatedly re-offends—is why lawmakers toughened the state’s drunken-driving law.
Ross, 47, of 612 E. Court St., Janesville, was arrested at 2:58 a.m. for what is still being investigated as his ninth or 10th OWI charge, Assistant District Attorney Tom White said.
He was ordered held in the Rock County Jail on $15,000 cash bond. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint:
Ross left Willowdale Saloon, 5905 W. Highway 11, Janesville, at about 2 a.m. when someone reported an obnoxious, intoxicated man driving toward Janesville.
Thirty minutes later, a woman reported an accident in the 2600 block of Harvard Drive. A Janesville police officer responded and saw Ross slide from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat of the car.
Ross told police he was drunk and didn’t want to do any field sobriety tests. The officer arrested Ross and took him to jail.
Ross had difficulty standing on his own. He was uncooperative. His blood-alcohol content was unknown because he refused to take a breath test.
DRUNKEN DRIVING ARRESTS
Janesville police on Wednesday arrested Scott R. Ross, 47, for what they suspect is his 10th drunken-driving offense. Although details were not available Wednesday on all his previous cases, the following was provide by police and court records:
-- May 3, 1989, first offense, Janesville.
-- May 4, 1989, second offense, Janesville.
-- July 24, 1990, third offense, Janesville.
-- Jan. 24, 1992, fourth offense, Janesville.
-- July 2, 1995, fifth offense, Missouri.
-- March 26, 1996, sixth offense, Missouri.
-- April 8, 1997, seventh offense, Beloit. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and his license was revoked for five years.
-- Nov. 12, 1997, eighth offense, Janesville. He was sentenced to 210 days in jail and had his license revoked for five years.
-- Oct. 20, 2004, ninth offense, Rock County. He was sentenced to three years in prison and three years extended supervision.
-- Wednesday, 10th offense, Janesville. His case is pending.
