A Trevor man who’s been convicted of driving drunk nine times received a seven year prison sentence Wednesday.
45 year-old William Hess was last arrested on a weekday afternoon in October after another motorist spotted him driving recklessly, then followed him home. Hess, it turns out, had a habit of drinking a water bottle filled with vodka as he drove home from work.
"You appear to be an intelligent man with a very huge problem," said Kenosha Court Judge Mary Wagner just before imposing the sentence. "You speak very well on your behalf," she said. "And when you're sober you have a (treatment) plan, but you've never put it into effect. Never."
Hess’ wife and a daughter were in court for the hearing but didn’t speak. Said Judge Wagner: "I can't imagine the years in which your wife and children have worried every single day. Are we going to get a call that he killed somebody--killed himself. That he's in jail. What is the call today going to be. It makes people nuts....constantly frightened."
Hess told Wagner that he's finally hit rock-bottom and that he's ready for treatment. Wagner told Hess that she can't take that chance. "You're a very dangerous man because you don't understand--you don't learn,"she said, noting that he's been behind bars multiple times in the past.
Hess hasn't had a valid driver's license since he was 17.
Hess’ wife recently filed for divorce.
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