Sturtevant Man Charged with 11th OWI Offense, Battery of Police Officer

After his pick-up truck slid into a ditch, a man was arrested on Jan. 22 under suspicion of driving under the influence for not just the first or second time. No, this was allegedly his 11th such incident.

According to the police report, Sturtevant officers got a call at 1:10 am about a car in the ditch at Highways 11 and H and that the driver was staggering. When police arrived on scene, they identified the driver as Bruce Henninfield, 51, of 15700 block of Braun Road, and based on his appearance and witness statements, administered field sobriety tests that he promptly failed.

He was placed under arrest and placed in the back of a squad car.

Henningfield reportedly told officers he already called for a tow truck. He said he was traveling south on Highway H when an approaching vehicle crossed the center line and forced him off the road. What officers, with assistance from , may have actually found based on an investigation of the scene was that Henningfield was driving south as he claimed, but it was he who crossed the median, hit at least two street signs, drove through deep snow on the shoulder and then veered right again before getting stuck in the ditch.

Police tried to confirm that Henningfield had, indeed, called for a tow, but he was passed out. When officers woke him, the suspect complained of chest pain so a rescue squad from South Shore Fire Department was dispatched and Henningfield was taken to St. Mary's Hospital. His heart checked out okay, but his blood alcohol came to .20, more than double the legal limit.

Once there, however, Henningfield reportedly turned belligerent, verbally abusing officers and hospital staff before kicking at the arresting officer and trying to get out of handcuffs. He was eventually taken to the Racine County Jail where he allowed himself to be processed, but continued the verbal assault against police, including Sheriff's deputies in the tirade once he was placed in a cell.

In all, Henningfield was charged with Operating While Intoxicated (11th offense), Operating While Revoked (OWl related), Battery to a Police Officer, Resisting Arrest, and a probation hold as indicated by the state Probation and Parole department.