A Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department deputy prevented a possible tragedy last Tuesday evening after getting a wrong way driver stopped on US Highway 51.
Several people called 911 to report a vehicle going south in the northbound lanes of traffic near Irma at 8:45 p.m. A deputy was in the area within minutes and witnessed the vehicle turn around at County Rd H and start heading north again.
A traffic stop was conducted on Jane M. Kostecki and the deputy noted an odor of intoxicants and asked Kostecki to perform field sobriety tests. After the tests and a preliminary breath test which showed a .291 BAC, Kostecki was taken into custody on a first offense charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
She was held overnight in the Lincoln County Jail and was released to a responsible party the next morning. Kostecki was also cited for operating the wrong way on a highway. A warden from the DNR assisted with the arrest.