Suspect’s vehicle hits concrete barricade, twice

Nicholas A. Haas, 35, Amherst, is charged with a fourth drunken driving offense.

On Oct. 17, 2018, Waupaca Police Officers Tom Grant and Brent Wittman were parked on West Fulton Street when they heard loud squealing tires and saw flashing brake lights in front of Kwik Trip.

They then observed a man stumble into the store.

When they approached the car, they found a woman sitting in the front passenger’s seat.

According to the criminal complaint, she said her boyfriend, Haas, drove the car from Weasel’s to Kwik Trip, but she was responsible for the squealing tires when she hit a cement barricade in front of the store.

After Haas exited the store, he denied driving the car at all that night.

Surveillance video showed the vehicle arrive at Kwik Trip at 2:23 a.m. on Oct. 17 and strike a barricade.

Watson reportedly exited the vehicle on the passenger’s side and entered the store at 2:20 a.m.

At 2:32 a.m., Watson returned to the passenger’s seat.

The vehicle pulled forward and appeared to get wedged between two barriers.

Watson exited the vehicle, walked to the driver’s side, spoke with the driver, then returned to the passenger’s seat.

At 2:52 a.m., Haas exited the driver’s side, then entered the store.

A blood test indicated that Haas had a .188 blood-alcohol level.

On Oct. 11, 2019, Haas was convicted in Portage County of his third OWI for a Nov. 19, 2018, offense.

He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, assessed $4,153 in fines and court costs, and his license revoked for 28 months.