Record for most OWIs by one person in Wisconsin
This should NOT be broken.
Most OWI's in Wisconsin
Wallace C. Bowsers - 18 OWI
Wallace C. Bowers of Green Bay has 18 OWI convictions, the record for most OWIs in Wisconsin. Bowers became a contender for most DUIs ever when he received his 18th OWI conviction on January 8th, 2021. On December 10th, at 77 years old, he was sentenced. As of February 3, 2022, he is serving 5-years in prison.
Most OWI's by Wisconsin Resident
Daniel Thomas Hanson - 19 OWI
Daniel Thomas Hanson, 58, from New Richmond was arrested in August 2020 by Minnesota State troopers. He was sentenced to 53 months on 2/11/21 for his 19th OWI.
Hanson is a Wisconsin resident, and court records show Hanson has been convicted of drunk driving 8 times in Wisconsin, and another 11 times in Minnesota.
Second Most OWI's In Wisconsin
Mark A. Johnson - 17th OWI (Open Case)
Mark A. Johnson is currently being charged with his 17th OWI, as of January 2025. The Rice Lake resident was pulled over on September 20, 2024, after a witness contacted authorities.
Authorities conducted a preliminary breath test on Johnson and the result came back as .147, even though Johnson is subject to a .02 alcohol concentration restriction. Johnson has 16 prior suspensions, revocations, and other convictions.
As of 2022, Who has the most DUIs?
There’s been plenty of history made in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Green Bay is home to the first Super Bowl Champions, and respectively is a well-documented tail-gating and beer-drinking town that has even been coined the drunkest city in America. But Bart Star, Brett Favre, and Aaron Rodgers aren’t the only ones with belts in Titletown. Currently, a 74-year-old Green Bay native by the name of Wallace C. Bowers holds the record for most DUIs in Wisconsin, racking up his 18th OWI conviction on January 8th, 2021.
Wallace C. Bowers has OWI charges dating back to 1988. Bowers rang in his 18th OWI by crashing his truck into a power line, causing a power outage that swept through the eastside of Green Bay. When police arrived, Bowers refused a breathalyzer test, claiming he only drank two beers, nor could he walk for other field sobriety tests due to his prosthetic leg becoming detached. The police then took him to the hospital to check for injuries. Eventually, they had his blood drawn after securing a search warrant from a Brown County judge. The rest is etched in history… and the Wisconsin municipal court records of Wisconsin OWIs.
Of mention is Daniel Thomas Hanson, 58, from New Richmond. He was arrested in August 2020 by Minnesota State troopers and sentenced to 53 months on 2/11/21. Hanson is a Wisconsin resident and has been convicted of drunk driving 8 times in Wisconsin, and another 11 times in Minnesota.
Fines & penalties for 18th OWI in Wisconsin
Wallace C. Bowers broke the glass ceiling of Wisconsin OWI law when he secured his 18th OWI conviction. Wisconsin penalties for OWI charges leave off at 10 OWIs; any further convictions pose the same penalties. An 18th OWI is a Class E felony charge, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, up to $50,000 in fines and several years of license revocation and other driving restrictions. Bowers’ bond was set at $30,000. Learn more about Wisconsin OWI penalties.
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