Waukesha City Hall crash; "You know how it is, fast car," driver explains

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Colton Sanders

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A 27-year-old Waukesha man is accused of driving drunk and crashing his car into the Waukesha City Hall sign in February. The accused is Colton Sanders – and he faces the following criminal counts: 

• Possession of a firearm by a felon
• Possession of a firearm while intoxicated
• Carrying a concealed knife

Reckless driving complaint

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, Waukesha police responded just before midnight on Feb. 21, to the area of Delafield Street and Madison Street for a report of a vehicle driving recklessly. Officers were advised that a silver vehicle was traveling toward downtown with its headlights out and driving at a high rate of speed.

As one officer approached Waukesha City Hall, he spotted the taillights of a vehicle that appeared to be in front of the building. When he got closer, he spotted a silver vehicle "that appeared to have gone off the roadway and crashed into 'Waukesha City Hall Municipal Court' stone yard sign," the complaint says. The vehicle had heavy front-end damage.

The officer approached the vehicle, and the individual inside was trying to restart the vehicle numerous times. Because the tint on the vehicle's windows was dark, the officer could not see the vehicle's driver. Eventually, the officer opened the driver's door. Inside, the driver was identified as the defendant, Colton Sanders.

Speaking with the defendant

What they're saying:

When the officer spoke with the defendant, he asked what had happened. The complaint says Sanders "paused for a moment and stated, 'took the turn a little too fast.' When asked if he had his lights on, the defendant advised that he did but that he turned them off." The officer noted the defendant "to have slow, slurred speech. With every question, it took the defendant a moment to respond," the complaint says. When the officer asked Sanders if he needed any medical assistance, the defendant "stated he did not, and then stated, 'You know how it is, fast car,'" the complaint says.

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Damage to Waukesha City Hall sign

The investigating officer asked the defendant how much he had to drink, and Sanders stated, "not that much," the complaint says. He indicated he had been drinking at a friend's house and was trying to go back home. The complaint says the "defendant said the beers he drank were canned, and that they were non-alcoholic."

The defendant was ordered to get out of the vehicle. When he did, the officer "detected a moderate odor of consumer intoxicants emitting from his person," the complaint says. When the officer informed Sanders that he wanted to run him through standardized field sobriety tests, the defendant replied that he would not do so without his lawyer present. Sanders was then placed under arrest.

Search of defendant, vehicle

Dig deeper:

During the arrest, the officer asked the defendant if he had anything on him that would stick or poke the officer, or if he had any weapons. The complaint says the defendant stated, "I got one," and then stopped responding. The officer lifted the defendant's jacket and spotted "a tan handgun grip sticking out just above the waistband of his pants," the complaint says. The officer noted the firearm had a fully loaded magazine as well as a round in the chamber of the firearm. Another tax magazine containing additional ammunition was also located.

When the officer searched the defendant's vehicle, he "located a large K-Bar style fixed blade knife concealed near the driver's seat," the complaint says.

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The defendant did agree to provide a sample of his breath. The test registered a 0.13 BAC — or more than the legal limit for driving, which is 0.08 BAC.

Court appearance

What's next:

Sanders is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Waukesha County court on April 23.