BURNETT COUNTY -- Antoinette Bearheart, of Danbury, WI has been charged with Felony OWI 5th Offense following an incident on September 10, 2019 when she allegedly attempted to flee from law enforcement. These charges follow a prior incident on July 27, 2019 that also resulted in Felony OWI 5th Offense charges for Bearheart.
According to a criminal complaint filed against Bearheart in Burnett County Circuit Court, on September 10, 2019, Minnesota State Patrol contacted the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department regarding a vehicle that had been involved in a hit-and-run in Pine County, MN. The vehicle was identified as being registered to Bearheart. While attempting to locate Bearheart, law enforcement received an additional report from another caller who stated that Bearheart’s vehicle had nearly run his vehicle off Lake 26 Road.
When law enforcement located Bearheart’s vehicle, she did not stop for the squad car’s emergency lights, but instead drove around the squad car by way of a ditch and then accelerated away at a high rate of speed, according to the criminal complaint filed against Bearheart.
After pursuing the vehicle for approximately 1 ½ miles at speeds around 75 miles per hour, the vehicle pulled over. The female driver identified herself as Antoinette Bearheart to law enforcement. After attempting to complete field sobriety tests, Bearheart was taken into custody for operating while intoxicated. Bearheart’s preliminary alcohol breath test results were 0.254.
After Bearheart was transported to Burnett Medical Center, she complained of neck pain, stating to medical personnel that she had been rear-ended a vehicle and fled the scene of that incident.
Charges of Class I Felony Attempting to Flee or Elude an Officer, Class G Felony Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence - 5th/6th Offense, and Class I Felony Bail Jumping have been filed against Bearheart for the September 10, 2019 incident.
A previous incident on July 27, 2019 resulted in charges of Class G Felony Operating While Intoxicated 5th or 6th Offense, and Class G Felony Operating With Prohibited Alcohol Concentration 5th or 6th Offense.
If convicted of her charges in both cases, Bearheard would face potential maximum sentencing for OWI 5th Offense and OWI 6th Offense; imprisonment for not more than 10 years on each.
Bearheart is scheduled to appear again in October 2019 regarding all her charges.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Oct 09, 2019 6:54 pm CDT
