Traffic stop leads to OWI citation for Douglas County Sheriff's Office detective

Maria Lockwood, Superior Telegram, Wis.
·2 min read

May 22—SUPERIOR — Citations were filed with the Douglas County Clerk of Courts Wednesday, May 22 against a Douglas County Sheriff's Office detective who allegedly struck a parked vehicle while driving intoxicated.

Matthew Wayne Derosia, 50, faces citations for ordinance violations of first-offense operating while intoxicated and hit and run-unattended vehicle.

The charges stem from a Sunday evening incident along North Fifth Street in Superior. Superior Police Officer Ashley Johnson initiated a traffic stop at about 10:15 p.m. Sunday, May 19 after observing a vehicle driving north on East Fifth Street with sparks emitting from the front of the vehicle on the lower-right side, according to a Superior Police Department report. The officer believed the sparks were caused by a blown right tire and initiated a traffic stop due to unsafe driving conditions.

As Johnson was stopping the vehicle, a report was made of a vehicle that had struck another vehicle and continued north on East Fifth Street.

The driver of the vehicle that was emitting sparks, identified as Derosia, exited the vehicle immediately after stopping and Johnson told him to get back into it. When she made contact with Derosia, the officer reported she could smell a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle. She noticed Derosia's eyes were red and glossy and his speech was slowed and slurred, according to the report.

Sgt. Matthew Brown with the Superior Police Department also responded. He spoke to a man who reported that he and his wife had heard the crash, looked out their porch and saw a truck driving by with sparks. Brown noticed a heavy odor of intoxicants from Derosia, according to his supplemental report.

Derosia refused to take field sobriety tests or have his blood drawn, the report said. A warrant was obtained for a blood draw. Derosia was arrested and lodged in the Douglas County Jail, and later released. According to the citations, his initial appearance is set for Sept. 10.