A Friendship man was arrested early Wednesday in Wisconsin Dells, planning out his traffic stop in anticipation of a likely trip to Columbia County Jail.

Michael Cronin, 30, was stopped while driving along River Road in Wisconsin Dells just past midnight Wednesday. The officer reported Cronin driving 52 mph in a 25 mph zone.

In Columbia County Circuit Court, District Attorney Jane Kohlwey asked that Cronin be held on a $750 cash bond.

“This defendant is now charged with a felony level operating while intoxicated offense along with operating while revoked,” said Kohlwey. “He should not have been operating under any circumstances, not to mention operating allegedly while intoxicated.”

The current felony drunken driving charge is the fourth Cronin has received in less than three years, with the first in May 2014, the second on July 5, 2015, and the third three months after that.

“This defendant actually did not stop his vehicle right away and indicated to law enforcement that he did so because he knew that he was going to jail and he wanted to get to a parking lot so that his vehicle wouldn’t be towed,” said Kohlwey. “Again showing the understanding the risks he was taking and yet taking those risks and placing the public as a whole at risk by his behavior.”

When the officer turned on the squad car’s lights and siren, Cronin waited, finding a parking spot at the Meadow Brook Resort parking lot. Cronin explained that he was on his way home to Westfield after going to a friend’s house that evening where he said that he drank two cans of Twisted Tea and smoked some pot.

“I’m probably buzzed,” he told the officer according to court documents.

Following a failed field sobriety test, Cronin registered 0.123 on a preliminary breath test and was taken into custody.

Judge Alan White agreed with Kohlwey, ordering Cronin to be held on $750 cash bond.

If convicted, Cronin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of six months in jail and up to six years in prison.

Michael Cronin

Friendship man finds parking spot, arrested for fourth OWI