Point Woman Charged with Third OWI
By Jacob Mathias
A Plover woman faces jail time after being charged with her third OWI.
Mary Joss, 43, is charged with her third offense of operating while under the influence, with a prohibited alcohol concentration enhancer, both misdemeanors with a possible sentence of a fine between $600 and $2,000 and up to one year imprisonment for each charge.
She is also charged with her fourth count of driving with a revoked license, which carries up to a $2,500 fine and up to one year imprisonment. Another charge, misdemeanor bail jumping, has a maximum sentence of up to a $10,000 fine, or up to nine months imprisonment if convicted.
Joss pleaded not guilty to all charges at her initial appearance in Portage County Circuit Court on Dec. 7.
According to court documents, Joss was pulled over while driving eastbound on Main St. near Minnesota Ave. for a revoked license.
When the officer spoke with Joss, he noticed a strong odor of intoxicants coming from her breath. He reports that her eyes were bloodshot and glassy, her speech was slurred and her face was flushed, according to the complaint.
When asked how much she’d had to drink, Joss didn’t answer at first but later admitted she was alcoholic, and told the officer to arrest her. She was taken into custody following a failed field sobriety test.
A search of Joss’ car yielded a coffee mug containing an brown-colored liquor.
After being examined at Ministry St. Michael’s it was determined Joss had a blood alcohol content of .394- almost five times the legal drinking limit. Due to the level of alcohol in Joss’s system, the applicable minimum and maximum fines for her charges are quadrupled.
Joss is free on $750 cash bond and is not to consume or possess alcohol nor operate a vehicle. She is to report alcohol and drug free no less than 14 times a week to the Day Report Center and comply with the Portage County Pretrial Supervision Program.
She returns to court on December 14 at 10:00 AM for a pretrial conference.