A man accused of driving under the influence reportedly told the authorities that he has been consuming liquor since he was a child and that he “drinks alcohol like it is coffee.”
51-year-old James Fuerstenau is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to court records, he has been convicted DUIs on two occasions.
On July 12, a Racine County sheriff’s deputy was on duty in Caledonia when she reported that she saw a vehicle being operated erratically on I-41/94.
The deputy and another officer performed a traffic stop, and the driver was identified as Fuerstenau. It was also discovered that he was driving without a valid license.
The deputy reported that when she checked the vehicle, the smell of alcohol was present. She also reported that she found one open Four Loko and three open Natural Ice beer cans inside. It was reported that they were sitting on the floor on the passenger’s side of the SUV.
When the deputy asked Fuerstenau, who also reportedly smelled like alcohol, whether he had been drinking, the man reportedly confirmed that he got off work and had a few.
It was reported that Fuerstenau also told the authorities that he started drinking when he was 9 and that he “drinks alcohol like it is coffee.”
Fuerstenau, who also had active warrants for his arrest, was taken into custody and booked into the Racine County Jail. He is facing charges of third OWI with a modifier of general alcohol concentration enhancer, operating a vehicle with a revoked license due to his previous DUIs, and two counts of bail jumping, all misdemeanors. Fuerstenau is being held in lieu of a $1,000 bond while awaiting his next court appearance.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.