Waupaca County judge issues warrant for driver with 7 OWIs
By Robert Cloud
The Waupaca County district attorney’s office filed an amended complaint against Brian J. Hejda, 45, Waupaca.
He was initially charged in April with an eighth offense of prohibited alcohol content, as well as operating while revoked and three counts of misdemeanor bail jumping.
October’s amended complaint includes a charge of operating with a restricted controlled substance.
In September, the county received a lab report indicating the presence of cocaine and methamphetamine in Hejda’s system.
According to the criminal complaint, Waupaca County Deputy Andrew Thorpe made a traffic stop near the intersection of U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 22 at 10:44 p.m. Saturday, April 9.
He reported that the car’s rear left turn signal was not working and the vehicle did not have a rear license plate.
When he approached the vehicle, Thorpe smelled alcohol and recognized the driver as Hejda because the deputy had arrested him for his seventh OWI in November 2016.
Hejda’s driver’s license had been revoked since 2017, he had not registered the car and the title was unsigned, the complaint says.
Hejda had active warrants through the state Department of Corrections and Portage County. He also faced open criminal traffic cases with active bonds in Waupaca, Portage and Outagamie counties.
After his April arrest, Hejda was initially held in custody on a $2,500 cash bond.
On May 18, retired Judge Philip Kirk amended Hejda’s cash bond to a $2,500 signature bond to allow him to go to a recovery facility for treatment.
On May 19, Judge Troy Nielsen ordered that the alcohol monitoring system be removed as a condition of Hejda’s bond.
On Sept. 29, Hejda failed to appear at a court hearing and Nielsen issued a bench warrant.
As of Nov. 10, Hejda remains at large.
Prison time
On April 7, 2017, Portage County sentenced Hejda to 24 months in prison and 24 months of extended supervision for his sixth OWI.
On April 25, 2017, Waupaca County Judge Ray Huber sentenced Hejda to three years in prison and three years extended supervision for his seventh OWI. The sentence was to be served consecutively with his prior sentence. Huber also gave Hejda 162 days credit for time served on a $5,000 cash bond.
On Dec. 5, 2018, the state Department of Corrections released Hejda on extended supervision.
Since his release, Portage County has charged Hejda with possession of meth, misdemeanor bail jumping, operating while revoked, nonregistration of a vehicle and operating without proof of insurance.
Waupaca County has charged him with two counts of operating while revoked, operating without insurance and speeding,
Outagamie County has charged him with operating while revoked.