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Crime & Safety

Repeat Drunk Driver Tells Police She was Speeding to be with 'Dying Mother'

The Milwaukee woman was driving more than twice the speed limit in Greenfield and had an open bottle of champagne in her car.

A 31-year-old Milwaukee woman is facing her third drunk-driving charge after she was caught speeding through Greenfield with an open bottle of champagne in her car.

And she blamed her excessive speeds on her mom, whom she told police was dying at a nearby hospital.

Sarah N. Gagliano was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Tuesday with one count of third offense operating while intoxicated. If convicted, she faces up to one year in county jail and $2,000 in fines.

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According to the criminal complaint:

On Feb. 18, Gagliano was pulled over in the 3800 block of West Howard Avenue after a spotted her driving 57 miles per hour in a 25 mph speed zone. Gagliano told the officer she was rushing to the hospital because her mother was dying, however, her breath smelled of alcohol and the story about her mother was deemed fake.

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Gagliano told the officer she had one drink before driving, but while getting out of the car to perform field sobriety tests, the officer spotted the open bottle of champagne hidden behind the driver’s seat. She failed the tests and had a blood alcohol level of 0.10 at the time of her arrest.

Gagliano was previously convicted of OWI in 2006 and 2007. She will make her initial appearance in court Friday.

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