A woman who thought she was lost in Milwaukee when she was really in Mount Pleasant is facing a fourth drunk driving offense.
According to the criminal complaint, Ashlie Steffenhagen was pulled over at 5:40 a.m. on April 2, after officers received a report of a driver operating erratically. Police located the vehicle in a parking lot near the intersection of Highway 31 and Durand Avenue and observed the driver proceed westbound on Durand Avenue.
Officers say that when they made contact with the defendant, she told them she was on her way home from a casino but was driving so poorly because she was unfamiliar with Milwaukee streets. Police gave her a moment to find her insurance card, and Steffenhagen started to pull away slowly. When she was told to stop, she complied and told police she thought the traffic stop was over.
Steffenhagen refused a breath test at the scene after failing most of the clues that indicate driving under the influence, the complaint continues. A warrant for a blood draw was obtained, but those results were not available for the defendant’s initial appearance.
She was given a $500 cash bond and a $5,000 signature bond and ordered to not consume or possess any drugs or alcohol. If convicted, Steffenhagen faces up to six years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines. She could also have her driving privileges revoked permanently. She will next be in court April 13 for her preliminary hearing.
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