OWI reduced to simple traffic ticket

Waupaca Co., Wisconsin

A Waupaca County man's OWI charges were amended to "failure to dim lights" after his attorney established numerous inconsistencies in the officer's story.

The defendant had been out drinking while fishing with friends earlier that evening. Police claimed the defendant came to their attention because he had crossed the center line and was swerving his vehicle.

Attorney Sydne French said the arresting officer had also claimed her client had failed all his field sobriety tests. Attorney French argued the officer's account was implausible, and a video tape emerged showing the facts alleged in the police report as false. "You never know what you're going to find until you get out there and start investigating" Attorney French said. "If more attorneys actually got involved in their cases, they would be surprised at how much of the story is missing from the police reports."