Janesvillemom--The reality of the situation is that our roads are completely void of personal responsibility in MANY different areas. I realize that we like to single out and persecute those that like to have a couple of drinks, but in the last couple of weeks, I have personally seen people using cell phones, texting, reading a magazine, putting on makeup, etc. I just read an article about a woman in Illinois who ran over and killed a motorcyclist because she was too busy painting her nails to be bothered by the stop sign she blew through. Multiple DUIs are a problem, but before we start with the same old rhetoric with regards to locking up and throwing away the key on someone who gets pulled over on their first one, maybe we should cast a light on some of the other problems that are simply swept under the rug because they don't involve something as "evil" as alcohol......

"who made a bad judgment call on their way home from work that didn't hurt anyone"
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This is the problem! This is the attitude that allows this to continue happening in this state. Personal responsibility means making arrangements BEFORE you take that first drink. Designated drivers EVERY time you drink more than one serving.
I agree with the statement about the quick and absolute jail time, rather than the long term jail time. I remember an article about someone who got picked up twice in one night! He should have been locked up at least until the next day when he sobered up. Or 48 hours like the Iowa law. They should go straight to the jail on the first offense and their car should be impounded. They can pay to get it back in a couple days. Then they can pay to get a substance abuse evaluation and treatment if it is determined that they need it. Better than long jail terms, for the criminal and the taxpayers. But the consequences need to be swift and real on the first offense. And maybe some of that alcohol tax money needs to be spent on a campaign to encourage designated drivers and drunk buses/cabs. To make it socially acceptable to stop people from driving drunk rather than excusing it with "bad judgment" comments.

The Century Council is a leader in the fight against drunk driving, particularly with its Hardcore Drunk Driving Sourcebook, which details how a combination of swift identification, certain punishment, and effective treatment can reduce repeat drunk driving and in time reduce fatalities.
http://www.centurycouncil.org/fight-drun...
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For swift identification the council recommends focused enforcement methods including checkpoints and saturation patrols, statewide computer database tracking of offenders, and higher penalties for refusing sobriety tests. For certain punishment the council recommends penalties such as license revocation, vehicle immobilization or plate seizure, ignition interlocks, home confinement with electronic monitoring, and expanded judicial education in DWI and DWI courts. For effective treatment, the council recommends early intervention, assessment-based programs, mandatory participation, intensive supervision, and dedicated detention facilities with trained staff.
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Wisconsin does seem to be moving in the right direction with the recent legislation, but still needs to do more. Rock County's new drug courts are a model to follow. People need systems of carrots and sticks to get them through treatment, judges who care about the outcome, and if necessary technical and legal obstacles to driving ranging from interlocks to alcohol detection bracelets to disabling cars. Jail, however, is a factor more in terms of how certain and swift the sentence is rather than how long it is.

fromjanesville--Completely disagree--the punishment has to fit the crime. Having a car taken from you for a driving offense where there was no injury or accident is not justified.

Justlittleolme--Severe prison sentences for the first offense? You can't be serious.....Our prison system is already severely overcrowded with serious felons(rapists, armed robbers, drug dealers, etc) and you want to put someone away who made a bad judgment call on their way home from work that didn't hurt anyone. That makes absolutely no sense. Who's going to pay for it? How much will the state be losing in income tax collection when these "menaces to society" are locked up? How much will the state have to shell out in social services to the families of those convicted of a first offense DUI when the primary provider is locked up? Not a bright idea after all....huh?:)

1st offense ignition interlock for life. Subsequent offenses take the car to auction. How hard is it?

chelleandlou said:"4 1/2 years prison isn't nearly enough of a punishment. In addition, she should be unable to own or operate a motor vehicle or obtain a drivers license of any kind for the rest of her life."

And you would expect a scofflaw to obey this also, like she obeys the DWI laws???

In Wisconsin, the law for drivers with three or more prior Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) convictions, the limit is lower: they cannot operate a motor vehicle if their BAC is greater than 0.02. I got this information from http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/moto... While I am not condoning this type of behavior, .02 is strict. I happen to work in a safety sensitive job and I am subject to random drug and alcohol tests per FAA, I cannot test over .04. In our literature package, it warns of things like toothpaste, mouthwash, and cough syrup. While it is not published what her BAC was, we should not jump to think she is a .08 or higher each time and believe she is a real stumbling drunk. She does need to take actions for herself. We have enough laws on the books to deal with this; we just need enforcement, from police to judges, mainly judges. I do not need a license to drive; all I need is a vehicle. I for one am afraid of the consequences of getting an OWI. This state has a bad rap and it needs to be fixed now.

Betcha they got her at a checkpoint. (SARCASM)

Seriously?

13?!?!

Oh my goodness, I don't know who's more sick, this woman or the state for allowing this to happen!

4 1/2 years prison isn't nearly enough of a punishment. In addition, she should be unable to own or operate a motor vehicle or obtain a drivers license of any kind for the rest of her life.

Yet again welcome to the Judicial System! She was allowed to have 13 offenses! She could have killed herself of a child driving drunk! What is wrong with the court system she should have been locked up after the first one. I say after you have ONE offense your license is taken away for 2 years and if you are caught driving you get 5 years in jail MANDITORY and you get no probation or good behavior. Maybe that will scare people enough they wont take others lives in their hands!

Yet we need to raise liquor taxes for EVERYONE, instead of dropping the hammer on people like this. I'm sorry 13 times=4 1/2 years (which will be more like 2 yrs thanks to Diamond Jim doing away with truth in sentencing), not enough, but feel free to reach into my pockets some more.

sannio I agree some people just are beyond recovery and it is sad as those that cant quit usually drink themselves to death. I also agree she has to be held accountable for her action yet alcohol is cunning, baffling and powerful and some people just die that way. I hope she can find a solution for her problem and I hope the system just don't warehouse her. Without help she will get out and do it again...

I'm sorry, perhaps I misread this, how many more chances does she deserve before she actually kills someone????
Severe prison sentences should be mandatory with the first offense.

bythelake- Yup, its true that drunk drivers get a few months to drive after they're caught to see if they can actually kill someone before they're finally stopped for a while..Some will try to kill their own kids during this time period.
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Forget the casinos, highway roulette is MUCH more fun!

Not sure what kind of wake-up call will work on this alcoholic. Sounds like warehousing her is the only safe solution for the public. Thirteen drunk driving arrests obviously shows she has no respect for the safety of others. Glad she's going away for at least four years. Perhaps by her release date she'll have developed medical problems from chronic alcohol abuse that will confine her to assisted living or a nursing home. I feel for her family, they've no doubt been trying to curtail her destructive behavior for years. I do not have any sympathy for her though. None.

What the heck, she's just finally being sentenced?
At least she didn't kill anyone first.
Hopefully she dries out and realizes that booze is not your friend.
I agree with cynicaleye, Why does this continue to happen??

13 must be her lucky number!!

Granted, we must be held accountable for our actions, and retribution must be paid to society, but let's not forget, we're talking about someone's Grandmother here.

There's power in positive thinking, old dogs need hugs, too.

Hugs and stuff are good, but nothing will do her better than truly ADMIT she's got a problem.

Seems to be working in Iowa:

The first OWI you receive in Iowa is punishable by up to 1 year in jail. You will spend a minimum of 48 hours in jail, however the court may impose a harsher penalty in some cases. You will also receive a fine between $500-$1,000 and you will be ordered to undergo a substance abuse evaluation at your own cost. Your drivers license will be revoked for 180 days (6 Months) and if your BAC was between .08-.10 you will be allowed to apply for a temporary restricted license to drive to and from work. You may also be ordered to install an ignition interlock device at your own expense.

13 arrests and you think she's learned her lesson? Some old dogs you just CANNOT teach new tricks.

Maybe she needs a hug, I happen to have a spare one.

I don't agree with the "disease" theory...If we could lock up someone like this for 10 to 20 years and make them WORK 8 to 10 hours a day for their food and keep, I think others would be deterred from doing these things.
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No one is deterred from ANY crime with the kind of nansy-pansy nonsense we have for "prison" these days.

I agree she has a problem that can not be cured. She is also an extreme hazard to others. Lock her up for as long as possible. We may not be able to help her but we can protect the public from her.

After being arrested that many times it proves alcoholism is a disease, and no amount of punishment can stop some people.

It's kind of pointless to ask "why" this was allowed to happen. We have a system that punishes people and then hopes they behave. When you are dealing with a drug addiction, however, it's unrealistic to expect compliance from this model, especially when they are drawn to a depressive substance like alcohol. They ALREADY feel bad about themselves, so they drink more to feel not so bad.
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But we're never going to have a system that prevents someone from repeating a crime. This isn't "Minority Report". We have a system that treats people like human beings and asks them to behave rationally in respect to consequences, which generally works. It's the cases like this, where it doesn't work, where we have to question whether we are dealing with the problem in a way that is going to get socially positive results.

looking for rock bottom. alcoholics are like lakes, for them, every rock bottom is different. many drown before hitting theirs.

She was in prison for her previous offenses, she was on extended supervision after she was released.

4 1/2 years in prison, geez why so tough on the old broad?? i bet shes learned her lesson

....was ordered to stay out of bars during that time period too, but still got drunk in them every weekend..

Well, I have a relative that was caught MONTHS ago 3 times over legal BA level for the FIFTH TIME and was allowed to drive for MONTHS until "sentenced"(lol)......this person drove with their *KIDS IN THE CAR* all the while, too.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnfl...
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Wisconsin is one of ten states consistently among the deadliest drunk driving states. Our neighbor, Iowa is second lowest after Utah. I used to live in Iowa and there are just different cultural norms regarding drinking and especially drinking and driving. Wisconsin really needs to change the attitudes about drinking and drunk driving. This is embarrassing for our otherwise great state!

13 time drunk driver. This is ridiculous.
She's now being sentenced. There is something seriously lacking in the court system.
I just hope that she doesn't get time off for good behavior.

13 times and finally a prison sentence? I guess that extended supervision in two previous drunken-driving cases really worked. And why is this allowed to happen?