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by Bryan_Polcyn from FOX 6 Milwaukee

Last Post 5 days, 2 hours Ago


Repeat Drunk Drivers - Did you notice?
Apr 27, 2008 | 9:43 PM
Category: News
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Coincidence?

My story tonight focused on a repeat drunk driver (Matthew Olson) who killed a husband and father -- then blamed the weather, rather than his .135 BAC.  He ultimately pleaded guilty.  And got probation.  That's right, probation for homicide.

My story aired around 9:15.  But, did you notice the top story, just 15 minutes earlier?  Turns out it was a repeat drunk driver -- with a revoked license -- who killed the high school administrator, her daughter and her unborn child in Oconomowoc.

Let me recap:

Scheduled investigation -- repeat drunk driver kills, gets slap on the wrist

Breaking news -- repeat drunk driver gets slap on wrist, then kills.

Amazing coincidence, huh?  Well, that's not all...

My last investigaiton into repeat drunk drivers aired February 5th... the same day Matt Olson was sentenced to probation.  In fact, that's how I found out about Olson's case.  A friend of the victim's family had been in court that morning and watched Olson walk out a free man.  That night, she saw my investigation into repeat drunk drivers... and called to ask if Wisconsin has a problem.

Coincidence?  Or evidence of an epidemic? 

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Member Comments Total Comments: 22
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wiboots read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 7:45 AM

I worked the streets of Milwaukee for over 25 years. It is my belief if you want to get away with murder in Milwaukee, drive drunk . . you are not held accountable for your actions.

If you use are drunk and use a gun to kill someone you get jail time. If you are drunk and drive a vehicle to kill someone you get probation.

I do not understand what the difference is . . do you?
antmarta read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 2:22 PM

wiboots you are absolutely right about getting away with murder by driving drunk. My niece was killed by a drunk driver back in 1986. All the evidence found by the police and the forensic investigator should have certainly convicted him. They found him not guilty on the 2 charges against him and he walked out a free man and left family and friends totally devastated. There was not one ounce of remorse shown for what he had done either. Justice?? There's no justice.

Bryan I saw your report. Unbelievable just unbelievable. What's even more tragic is that Matt Olson didn't think it was his fault and that it was the weather that caused this crash. This guy has a record for drunk driving. No remorse shown either or even a apology to the family. I don't know how this man can lay in his bed straight at night!
This other individual sounds like a real piece of work too. A Doctor! Also with a record. Driving drunk on a revoked drivers license! This story as the other just brought tears to my eyes. There are far too many of these disturbing stories like this. I wish people will wake up and soon! DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
jazzbode read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 3:49 PM

Yes, aloholism is an illness and should be treated as such. But what part of being an alcoholic requires you to get behind the wheel of a car and drive drunk? Call a cab, friend, or drink at home!
stickgirl1 view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 4:21 PM

I'm very disappointed at how wisconsin deals with drunk driving. Its like these people dont even care. I mean how many DUI's do you need before you actually get punished, 10, 12, what the heck lets go for 20. Anothter tragic story in Oconomowoc involving a drunk driver. When is wisconsin going to wake up and start making this a priority. Only seems to be a big deal when a drunk driver kills someone. Why does it have to go that far. 3 STRIKES AND YOUR OUT, plain and simple
safl70
Apr 28, 2008 | 6:27 PM

I'm was sick to my stomach when I saw two more stories about drunk drivers who harm and get away with it. My teenage son was a pedestrian hit by a .19 drunk driver. He was seconds away from dying.Five weeks in a coma,brain injury and broken bones and body. I spent three months in a hospital,lost my job to take care of him and this man gets a ticket,his second offense. I need to start a campaign! Wisconsin's loopholes are horrendous!!!
loripav read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 7:48 PM

Wisconsin drunk driving laws suck. I can say one thing. I don't drink and drive. My drinking is done were I will be spending the night.
aaro-nf read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 8:05 PM

sorry i missed the story sunday night. as always, great job on the posting fo this blog.
jennic123123
Apr 28, 2008 | 11:37 PM

I had a couple of DUI's in my day and one resulted in a fatal crash. Luckily for me, I was the only person injured. I am 5 years sober and proud. It hits hard at home because there isn't a day that goes by that I don't tell myself that that fatality could have been me. Being through it all, I do have to say that Wisconsin needs to implement more programming into the sentencing phase. The fines are huge and what is the liklihood it will ever be collected.
Katbird read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 11:44 PM

jenni...how could you be the only person injured if someone died?
antmarta read my blog view my photos
Apr 29, 2008 | 8:24 AM

I am not understanding either jennic. You say it was a fatal crash but lucky for you, you were the only one injured. Fatal means deadly. I take it that someone died. Did they?
harleybabe read my blog
Apr 29, 2008 | 9:52 AM

Yesterday in JS online they had a article that was titled 400 Diverted into treatment. freeing courts, jail space. They used $400.000 of our tax money to help these people. All they had to do to qualify was be a repeat drunk and not be violent. This is a problem with me. You see this is how they get back on the streets and drive to and from the consuling and we pay for it. If you get caught for DWI they first thing you are told is
you can get a reduced sentence if you go for treatment. So they say ok and they are out drinking and driving again and the night they have treatment they have to drink less because they are sitting in a room for 2 hrs to get out of going to jail. They really don't want treatment. But it is better than jail time they only have treament about 16 times and then they are cured and hey now our taxes will pay for it. And we wonder how they are back on the streets.
Katbird read my blog view my photos
Apr 29, 2008 | 1:00 PM

That's why treatment should be mandatory and lockdown....period.
I am more than willing to pay for lockdown treatment. Some people need to be forced to get better to protect us and them.
Wolfman07 read my blog view my photos
Apr 29, 2008 | 2:49 PM

No Kat, you know I love you but it is incarceration time. Enough of the treatment ideas for those who only do it to get the LAW off their back. It changes nothing. Once in jail, offer the treatment. Not instead of it. No message is sent out to the public when idiot after idiot commits horrendous crimes and blames it on the alcohol of drugs. Car plows into 10 at bus stop, driver found intoxicated. Car drives through townhouse wall, killing three. Driver found to be intoxicated. Story after story tells us that as a society we need to work harder on putting these idiots away in prisons not hospitals. Why can't we evoke some environmentalists to get involved, at least that way there would be some passion and exposure to this travesty of justice. If I were to ever lose my wife or son's to a drunk driver, they had better pray for a very long jail sentence because I will be waiting for them to get out.
Wolfman07 read my blog view my photos
Apr 29, 2008 | 2:50 PM

Any questions?
harleybabe read my blog
Apr 29, 2008 | 3:04 PM

Giving them their cars back after they are released kills me. If we would not allow them to have licence plates that would help. They loose their drivers licence but they have the plates to their cars so nothing happens to them until they make another mistake and get caught.
Katbird read my blog view my photos
Apr 29, 2008 | 5:48 PM

No questions, Wolfie.
I understand how you feel and I'll go along with jail and lockdown treatment anytime.

Harleybabe...the sad part is they will take any car they can. They'll go buy another. Maybe a better recording system would help. Have the DMV keep records of these and other offenses.
Aravynandrea read my blog
Apr 29, 2008 | 9:55 PM

Wisconsin needs tougher laws.

My brother was hit by a now 3rd offense drunk driver.

not only did this guy have a valid drivers lisence, but insurance.

how does someone with one, let alone now THREE convictions have insurance and a lisence??!

Luckily for my brother, his month old 2008 model azura was totalled, but he was only injured and not killed.

And luckily a police officer witnessed the whole thing and said... if my brother wasn't hit by the guy... he would have been.

And if my brother had a smaller car and was an inch later or sooner, he'd have been hit in the driver's side door dead on... and would have been killed.

How can this guy be allowed on the road after not only one... not only two... but now THREE offenses.

And the guy thought it was funnier than heck at the time of the accident, laughing and joking... till the arresting officer told him my brother, who he almost killed, is a county deputy Sheriff. He wasn't laughing much then.

Wisconsin laws and taxes sicken me. Yet I see no relief from Doyle. that's why I'm moving.
Wolfman07 read my blog view my photos
Apr 30, 2008 | 9:17 AM

The answer can not be to move. Running is a sign of giving in to the idiots. We have to change the mindset of new drivers and put away the repeat offenders. It isn't the tougher laws that we need, rather a court system that stops the "slap on the wrists" of repeat offenders. Our police officers are doing everything they can on our streets and cities. It is as frustrating to them to hear their suspects got our an hour and a half after they were arrested. Our courts need to follow the sentencing guidelines and not create their own agenda's. We also need the Liquor industry to get involved just as the Tobacco Industry has done. Better DMV tracking and follow up is what is needed.

It is those in our society that have a Entitled mentality that need to be focused on. When the biggest stars in Hollywood and in the music industry are caught continuously drunk driving, (ie: Brittany Spears, Nick Noelty etc) that get away with only probation that tells the rest of us that go ahead and drive drunk, because you get 10 shots at it before you will get any signicant jail time or worse, kill someone.
Aravynandrea read my blog
Apr 30, 2008 | 11:37 AM

Don't get me wrong. I'm not just leaving cause of the lax laws. That's just an extra reason for moving.

I'm also leaving cause I can't afford the taxes here. I'm taxed to poop, taxed to sleep, taxed to be sick, taxed to be healthy... my mom was recently made to pay 1000 bucks in taxes on her Social Security which she paid taxes into all of her working career...

And the gas thing here is insane. Where I'm moving to, gas is usually 10cents more expensive, but my Jeep Grand Cheroke which usually gets 16.8 here, gets 18.9 there. (I think its because they don't use the reformulated gas.)

But the lax laws here on drunk driving and animal abuse (especially the lack of laws against puppy mills) has disturbed me for a long time.

So when my brother was hit by a 3rd offense drunk driver, and I found out this guy's first two offenses were within the SAME YEAR and he still had a license, no jail time and insurance... that was just the straw as they say.

So I'm not really running from a problem... its just a bonus reason to leave... in essence.. I'm being constructively evicted because I can't afford Wisconsin taxes. Lol.
Wolfman07 read my blog view my photos
Apr 30, 2008 | 11:40 AM

I understand.
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Bryan_Polcyn

Okay, so there is an "I" in I-Team. But don't be fooled. There's more Team than meets the eye. There are my producers, Patrick McCraney and Jennifer Schwarz. Our extraordinary editor, Dave Michuda. And then there are some of the best photojournalists in the business. As for me, I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri (Pattonville High School). I got my bachelors degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. And I've worked in both radio and television in Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin. In fact, I met a Wisconsin girl while working in Des Moines. We got married in the spring of 2000, moved to Kansas City, and four years later, she brought me home. We have two of the cutest kids on earth, plus two cats that give our Dyson a workout. I love snow skiing, soccer, Texas Hold 'Em, the St. Louis Cardinals, and ice cold beer (not necessarily in that order). I have a passion for my work. But there is no greater joy in my life than being a dad. Subscribe to my blog and you'll get an email everytime I add a new post.

Member Since: 8/24/2006


 

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