Police say OWI suspect gave false name
Zachary J. Fossum, 26, Shawano, is charged in Waupaca County with a third drunken driving offense, operating after revocation, obstructing an officer and felony bail jumping.
Shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, Waupaca County Deputy John Stephens responded to a rollover crash on State highway 68 near County Trunk C in the town of Dupont.
When he arrived at the scene, Stephens saw a silver vehicle on its passenger side in the ditch.
He also reported seeing open cans of beer inside and outside the vehicle, but no driver.
Stephens spoke with a witness who said he was passing by when he saw a man trying to push the vehicle back over onto its wheels.
When that did not work, the man asked the witness if he could give him a ride to Embarrass.
According to the criminal complaint, the witness told the man he should remain at the scene until police arrived.
The man then allegedly grabbed a cellphone and a digital tablet from the vehicle and ran into the woods. He was wearing a plaid shirt and blue jeans.
Later, dispatch advised that a man matching the witness’s description was seen walking along County C near Janusch Road.
Although he was later identified as Fossum, he initially identified himself as his brother, whose car Fossum had been driving, the complaint says.
Deputies were able to identify him as Fossum due to mugshots from a prior arrest.
Fossum was charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to deliver on Sept. 14 in Shawano County and released from custody on a $1,500 signature bond.
He is currently in Waupaca County jail on a $1,000 cash bond.
As a result of the Oct. 16 incident, Fossum was cited for failure to notify police of an accident, operating left of the center line, failure to register a vehicle, operating without auto insurance, failure to wear a seatbelt, failure to keep a vehicle under control and refusal to take an intoxication test.