Traffic stop leads to fifth drunk driving charge against Caledonia man

RACINE, WI — A traffic stop for speeding in the city of Racine earlier this month led to the arrest of
a 50-year-old man from Caledonia for his fifth drink driving violation.

The charge of driving under the influence of alcohol against Kofi Reaves carries a sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of $25,000 if convicted.

Reaves was released on $2,500 bail and is due back in Racine County District Court at 9 a.m. on September 27 for a status conference.

Arrest for drunk driving after failed field tests

According to the criminal complaint:

An officer with the Racine County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on the defendant's vehicle for speeding on August 8 at the corner of Ohio Street and Blue River Avenue.

When the officer spoke to Reaves, he noticed a “strong odor” of intoxicants and also noticed that the defendant had shiny eyes and was speaking slurred.

The officer attempted to conduct a series of sobriety tests but was unable to complete the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test because the defendant did not follow the direction of his finger, the complaint states.

During the walking and turning test, Reaves was unsteady on his feet and stumbled back and forth. When asked if he could visualize a straight line, the defendant allegedly replied, “I'm not going to visualize (expletive).”

The officer then asked the defendant if he knew what a straight line looked like, and he replied, “There is nothing straight in the entire universe. Take me to jail.” At this point, Reaves refused to complete the tests.

Police took Reaves to the hospital, where a blood test was taken to determine his level of intoxication. The results of that test were not included in the criminal complaint.

Criminal court records show that Reaves has been convicted of drunk driving four times: in 1998 in Caledonia, in 2004 in Tempe, Arizona, in 2005 in Maricopa County, Arizona, and in 2005, also in Arizona.

The 2004 drunk driving conviction is classified as “extreme,” indicating that Reaves had a blood alcohol content of over 0.15.

In addition to the drunken driving convictions, the defendant has nine other prior convictions dating back to 1992, when he was convicted of aggravated assault in Racine.