Saukville man convicted of fifth OWI after May incident

A 41-year-old Saukville man was convicted of drunken driving for the fifth time and sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by two years of extended supervision.

Morgan T. Wilberg pleaded guilty to the charge on July 17 before being sentenced by Judge Sandy Williams in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

Williams also ordered Wilberg’s driver’s licensed revoked for three years and an ignition interlock device to be placed on his vehicle.

He is to maintain absolute sobriety, not to possess or consume any controlled substances or prescription medication without a prescription and is prohibited from entering bars or liquor stores, Williams ordered.

The charge stems from a May 6 incident in Saukville when Sgt. Robert Ramthun was patrolling and at 5:39 p.m. saw a Toyota Tundra cross onto South Park Street, striking the sidewalk “at such a high rate of speed that it violently jolted,” according to the complaint.

Ramthun saw the vehicle accelerate rapidly, with Wilberg driving as much as 53 mph in a 35 mph zone on East Green Bay Road.

Ramthun activated his lights and siren as Wilberg turned onto northbound I-43, where the Toyota continued to accelerate up the ramp, the complaint states. He drove a short distance, passing other vehicles, then pulled onto the shoulder.

Ramthun, who was familiar with Wilberg, noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle and noted that Wilberg’s speech was slow and slurred, his eyes were glassy and his movements jerky, the complaint states.

He also appeared confused and was unable to open the locked glove box to get his insurance information, according to the complaint.

Wilberg had to lean on his truck to help with his balance when he got out, according to the complaint, and he declined to take any standard field sobriety tests or a preliminary breath test.

Given his erratic driving and the symptoms of alcohol consumption he exhibited, Ramthun arrested Wilberg, the complaint states.

Wilberg had four prior drunken driving convictions — three in Douglas County and one in Ozaukee County dating back to 2003 — and had a .02 blood-alcohol restriction, according to the complaint.