Wrong-way drunk driver arrested on US 45 near Center Street

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- 36-year-old Victor Holifield of Milwaukee was stopped by police and arrested for DUI and recklessly endangering safety after a citizen called officials to report a possible drunken driver traveling the wrong-way early Monday morning, August 19th.

According to officials, the Sheriff's Office dispatch center received a call about a possible drunken driver traveling westbound on I-94 near 84th Street around 12:10 a.m.

The caller then reported that the vehicle had taken the ramp from I-94 to head southbound on US-45, but turned at the end of the ramp and went northbound in the southbound lanes of traffic.

The caller witnessed the vehicle nearly strike an oncoming vehicle head-on before turning around to go southbound.

The operator exited at Greenfield Avenue, re-entered the freeway to travel northbound on US-45, and struck the median wall near Mayfair Road.  Sheriff’s deputies stopped the vehicle at Center Street.

Holifield said he was driving erratically because he was trying to check his Facebook account for an alert he received.  He was unable to show this alert to the deputy.  Holifield tested a .11 on a PBT, and was arrested for DUI-1st and 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety.

Due to a previous felony conviction within the past five years, the sheriff’s office will also seek the habitual criminality enhancer for this offense.  If convicted of this Class G felony RES, Holifield faces up to 10 years in prison, or up to 14 years if the enhancer is applied.