Tony Romo’s trip back to his home state took an unexpected turn after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback was arrested on suspicion of Operating While Intoxicated in Milwaukee County.
Check out buddy smirking through the mugshot. That’s called media training right there for a potentially serious situation.
Authorities say the 46-year-old Burlington, Wisconsin, native was stopped by Milwaukee County deputies on Interstate 43 near the high-rise bridge after allegedly performing poorly on field sobriety tests. Romo was booked into jail before being released. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 21.
The incident comes while Romo was competing in the Wisconsin State Amateur Golf Championship, an annual tournament that brings together many of the state’s top amateur golfers. As of now, neither Romo nor CBS, where he serves as the network’s lead NFL analyst, has publicly addressed the arrest.
Under Wisconsin law, an OWI, short for Operating While Intoxicated, is the state’s legal term for what many know as a DUI or DWI. The wording is significant because “operating” extends beyond simply driving. A person can face an OWI charge if they are found in control of a vehicle, even if it is not moving, such as sitting behind the wheel with the engine running.
Wisconsin law also sets a blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08 percent for most adult drivers and 0.04 percent for commercial drivers. An OWI charge is not limited to alcohol and can also apply when a driver is impaired by illegal drugs or prescription medications that affect their ability to safely operate a vehicle.
According to the reported details, this is Romo’s first OWI offense. In Wisconsin, a first offense can carry penalties that include fines of up to $900, a driver’s license revocation, and the possibility of jail time, depending on the circumstances and the outcome of the case.
For now, the legal process is just beginning. With a court appearance set for September, more information is expected to emerge as the case moves through the Wisconsin court system.
