Car Ends Up Ablaze, Driver Accused of 6th OWI

Racine Police say a Mount Pleasant man had no recollection of how his car ended up on fire and on the sidewalk over the weekend.

Jason J. Lacanne, 37, was charged Monday in Racine County Circuit Court with a single count of operating while intoxicated - fifth or sixth offense. If convicted, he faces up to six years and/or up to $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint, Racine Police responded to a call at 1:57 a.m. Saturday of a reckless driver near the intersection of Green and Hagerer Streets. When officers arrived on scene, Lacanne's car was on the sidewalk and he was sitting in the driver's seat. He was pulled to safety, though, when the car caught fire.

While interviewing Lacanne about how his car came to be on the sidewalk and on fire, reports indicate he told officers he wasn't driving because he was at home. Lacanne also told police he couldn't remember how or why he was in the area. Lacanne was slurring his speech, police said, and was swaying from side to side.

Officers ran a check of Lacanne's driver's license and discovered he had five previous OWIs on his record and a Department of Corrections warrant. The defendant was placed in custody, but, because it was cold and windy and the Racine Fire Department was working on extinguishing the fire in the car, he was taken to another location for field sobriety tests.

Lacanne was searched before being placed in the squad car, and police say they found a glass pipe with a green residue in the defendant's front pocket.

Ultimately, the defendant was transported to Wheaton Franciscan St. Mary's to go through field sobriety tests, which he failed. Lacanne was advised that he would need to submit to a legal blood draw and was read his rights as well as the intent to revoke his operating privileges.

The defendant was transported to the Racine County Jail where he remains on a $2,000 cash bond. Lacanne will next be in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 29.