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SUPERIOR — A Superior man accused of driving while intoxicated for the eighth time was bound over for arraignment following a preliminary hearing in Douglas County Circuit Court Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Richard Kenneth Ostman, 65, faces one felony count of eighth-offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence.
A cash bond of $3,000 was set for Ostman, and he was ordered to have no use or possession of alcohol and no operation of a motor vehicle without a valid permit or license. He remained in custody at the Douglas County Jail on Friday, Oct. 14.
Superior Police Sgt. Matthew Brown responded to the Kwik Trip on Banks Avenue Sept. 30 for a report of an intoxicated driver who was about to leave the property. Brown saw the reported vehicle start to back from its parking spot and activated his emergency lights. The driver was identified as Ostman, according to the criminal complaint. He appeared to be heavily intoxicated and his speech was slurred to the point of being almost unintelligible, the criminal complaint said.
Ostman reportedly had difficulty getting out of the vehicle and appeared to be unable to stand unless he leaned on the car. He refused to submit to field sobriety tests.
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A Kwik Trip employee told Brown that Ostman came into the store without any shoes on and was asked to leave. The Superior man appeared to have difficulty understanding and said he just wanted to buy beer.
After Ostman left the store, he was reportedly observed on the ground beside a car trying to put his shoes on. The Kwik Trip employee said he went out to help Ostman up and the Superior man said he was going somewhere else for beer. The employee told Ostman he shouldn’t be driving and then called the police, the complaint said.
Ostman has seven previous convictions for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, according to the criminal complaint. All but one were out of Wisconsin. The most recent was for a 2010 incident. If convicted, Ostman faces a maximum sentence of up to 12 and a half years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $25,000. His next court appearance was set for Nov. 21.
