A 63-year-old Waukesha man was charged Monday with his fifth drunken driving offense for allegedly pestering police on a motorized bicycle.
Thomas W. Koeppen was charged Monday, July 1 in Waukesha County Circuit Court with drunken driving, obstructing an officer, resisting an officer and carrying a concealed weapon.
According to the criminal complaint:
Waukesha City Police were conducting a routine traffic stop at 8:40 p.m. June 29 at the corner of W. Main Street and N. Barstow Street.
Koeppen rode up on what appeared to be a bicycle and stood less than 3 feet from a suspect being administered a field sobriety test. An officer told Koeppen twice to move along, but he did not respond. The suspect noted, after another warning, “he wants to get [expletive] arrested, too!”
A third squad was called in at which point Koeppen fled. A few minutes later, however, he rode past the officers again, one of whom told Koeppen he was under arrest and began chasing after him.
The officer caught up to Koeppen in nearby alley and tackled him off of his bike, which was found to have a small motor. Found in his possession was an open bottle of vodka and three knives, ranging in size from 4 1/2 to 6 inches.
Koeppen could face more than eight years in prison and $40,000 in fines if convicted.
He is being held on a $7,500 cash bond and is expected to appear in court on July 3.