A 35-year-old Waukesha man was charged May 27 with his fifth drunken driving offense after his vehicle was found by a sheriff's deputy facing the wrong way on Interstate 94 in Brookfield.
Joe D. Amaya, 319 W. Main St. Unit B, was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with operating while intoxicated, fifth offense.
He faces six years in prison and $10,000 in fines if convicted. He could also have his license revoked for between two to three years.
According to the criminal complaint, Amaya was found by a Waukesha County sheriff's deputy sitting outside his car on the side of west I-94 near 124th Street at about 2 a.m. May 26.
When the deputy asked why his vehicle was facing east instead of west, Amaya said he decided to drive the wrong way after his car started losing power, the complaint states.
The officer noted that the man, who said he was coming from his daughter's graduation, smelled like liquor and had bloodshot eyes.
According to the complaint, Amaya failed several field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest after blowing a 0.18 blood-alcohol content level on a preliminary breath test.
Amaya was previously convicted of drunken driving in June 1996, May 2004, February 2007 and March 2009.
Amaya is being held in Waukesha County Jail on a $10,000 cash bond. A hearing was held May 30.