Lake Country Reporter

Wrong way through Oconomowoc roundabout will cost $40,000 to repair

Posted: Oct. 15, 2012

City of Oconomowoc - Public Works Director Mark Frye said it will cost around $40,000 to repair damages to the city's roundabout sculpture and median area after a drunken driver plowed through the area on Sept. 23.

"At this time, we are estimating $40,000 to repair or replace the items," Frye said of the sculpture, masonry pillar, signs, plants, electrical wiring for the LED lights that light the sculpture at night and curb. He said the majority of the cost, $30,000, is for the replacement of the sculpture.

In 2010, the Oconomowoc Rotary donated the sculpture to the city for its roundabout that sits at the entrance to downtown.

According to information from the City of Oconomowoc Police Department, a 32-year-old Town of Oconomowoc man was driving his 2005 Lexus SUV west on Wisconsin Avenue at 3 a.m. on Sept. 23 and failed to negotiate the roundabout.

His vehicle struck the sculpture and then flipped on its side, hitting the brick light display. The driver was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by the Oconomowoc Fire Department. He suffered no apparent injuries.

Alcohol was a factor in the crash and the driver was arrested for first offense drunken driving.

- Oct 15, 2012 5:54 PM

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I hope his insurance or he has to pay for this. WALKER keep the drunk driving laws like they are. Don't change them! WI is DEAD LAST in tough drunk driving laws! Where is the screaming about these laws? Oh, until a loved of yours is killed, keep putting your head in the sand! As long as the tavern league is paying WALKER he could care less about us!
cantgetenuf - Oct 15, 2012 7:29 PM

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The death penalty doesn't stop murder and more drunk driving laws, by any governor regardless of party, will not curtail this behavior. Try looking a little deeper.
FormerFib - Oct 15, 2012 8:08 PM

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Maybe a law against these stupid roundabouts would help. This ain't Yurrup people!
tazzy1 - Oct 15, 2012 8:45 PM

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Cantgetenuf... until somebody close to you dies from a drunk driver YOU HAVE NO FREAKING IDEA. People caught drunk driving 11 times should've been in PRISON instead of driving a car killing people. People like you are selfish! You sure can keep drunks off the road if you really WANTED to. WALKER will NOT because of $$$$$$$$$$$ from the tavern league! Their MONEY means more to him then your loved one!!!!!!!!
BadgerAlumni - Oct 15, 2012 8:46 PM

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Yeah, definitely Scott Walkers fault that the driver CHOSE to drive drunk. I think its a little bit more about personal responsibility that politics.
tazzy1 - Oct 15, 2012 8:51 PM

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Cantgetenuf... until somebody close to you dies from a drunk driver YOU HAVE NO FREAKING IDEA. People caught drunk driving 11 times should've been in PRISON instead of driving a car killing people. People like you are selfish! You sure can keep drunks off the road if you really WANTED to. WALKER will NOT because of $$$$$$$$$$$ from the tavern league! Their MONEY means more to him then your loved one!!!!!!!!
BadgerAlumni - Oct 15, 2012 8:54 PM

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and we all know prison is the best rehabilitation system in the country. Trust me, after one spends any time in prison for 11 drunk drivings, they are coming out of prison and going straight to getting loaded again. No amount law(s) cure alcoholism.

p.s. I lost my younger sister to a drunk driver. And I dont blame Scott Walker. Our laws have been the same even with a Democrat governor and Democratic controlled senate.
pastime - Oct 15, 2012 8:54 PM

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I fail to see why the taxpayers of the city of Oconomowoc should pay one single cent for damage done to OUR property by an individual, particularly one who was driving drunk. Have the city attorney file a claim with his insurance company. If they won't pay, file a civil suit against the insurance company and the individual and get the money. If the city isn't prepared to take these steps, we need new people in city government. I'm sure the drunk driver already has a settlement check to go buy a new Lexus to replace the one he rolled and totaled. Now they can pay the city, too.
tazzy1 - Oct 15, 2012 8:56 PM

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BadgerA... you are CLUELESS. When someone you knows gets killed you keep that thought going that the Government and WALKER did EVERYTHING they could do. Just remember that the person CHOSE to drive drunk instead of being in prison where they can't CHOOSE to drive!
BadgerAlumni - Oct 15, 2012 8:56 PM

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one last thing...this article is just stating what the cost is going to be. No where does it say that they havent filed a claim to collect monies yet. Chill.
tazzy1 - Oct 15, 2012 8:59 PM

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Sorry about your sister just read that. Of all people you should be on the highest mountain complaining about the loose drunk driving laws. Its out of control on how we treat this.
pastime - Oct 15, 2012 9:06 PM

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BadgerAlumni....It doesn't say they HAVE filed a claim either. Lousy reporting. A good reporter would have nailed that fact down one way or the other in the story. When nothing's mentioned, it's fair to assume no claim has been filed, or it's been filed and denied. I can make an assumption as easy as you can. When Mr. Frye says "we are estimating", it can easily be inferred the city's picking up the tab. BTW.....I'm chilled nicely, thank you.
MUfinalfour - Oct 15, 2012 10:05 PM

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FormerFib - How could a drunk driver crashing in a roundabout be attributed to the
roundabout? Does that mean we should remove all roadway curves because this is
where most drunk drivers crash? I am actually relieved that this driver crashed in
the roundabout. Much better than continuing on, running a red light/stop sign and
hitting another car head on or t-bone at another intersection. In fact, the
roundabout might be a good tool to thwart drunk drivers.
Kelemvor - Oct 16, 2012 8:51 AM

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I don't see how the city would have to pay for this. They guy, or his insurance company, can foot the bill.

And why are people asking for drunk driving laws not to change? Our drunk driving laws SUCK. Why do you think we hear about people getting their 7th or 9th DUI charge>? because our laws suck. They need to be FAR tougher on people.
gcmke - Oct 16, 2012 9:46 AM

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Of course the community should go after the driver for damages...And laws should be changed...

Funny that nobody has a problem with the city speding $40,000 on a sculpture to 'spruce up' a round about. With all the budget issues and people complaining about their high taxes - THIS IS THE REASON PEOPLE - stuff like this. Tell your representatives to trim the fat.

Things like this are happening at new gov't buildings and other city projects all over the place.
gcmke - Oct 16, 2012 9:50 AM

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I'll bet that Scott Walker is such a terrible person, he probably beats puppies. I could totally see him swerving in the road just to run over a nice little, fluffy, baby bunny. That drought we had this year was because of Scott Walker.

Every problem that exists is his fault. He must be the worst person ever. Maybe in the history of the world.
BadgerAlumni - Oct 16, 2012 12:06 PM

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tazzy-adding/changing laws are not going to keep a habitual drunk driver from driving, short of the death penalty. Wish I had the answers but more laws is not the answer. The guy who killed my sister was out in 8 years and guess what...was caught driving drunk again.

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