MONROE — A Dane County man will spend the next six months in jail, following his no contest plea to a fourth-offense OWI, a felony.

Matthew J. Mathias entered his plea Monday before Judge Thomas Vale in Green County Circuit Court. He and his attorney told the court he was only driving on the day of his arrest due to a personal emergency.

“Regardless of the circumstances, a repeat offense is always a concern,” said Vale.

His attorney, Jane Krueger Smith, told the judge that while the offense was Mathias’ fourth, he hasn’t had such a charge since 2009 and 2011. Vale said he agreed that it has been some time, but nonetheless emphasized the severity of such a felony offense.

In addition to the jail time, Mathias will have to log two years of probation, and two years of the loss of his license. When he does drive again, he will be required to have an ignition interlock devise installed on his vehicle. He also will pay $1,168 in fines and court costs, although the $500 bond already posted will be applied to that balance.

Mathias asked the judge to transfer him to Dane County to make it easier for him to keep his job while serving the time, perhaps with Huber privileges there. But Vale said that while he is not against him serving his time in Madison, it would be up to Dane County officials to decide whether they will take him on as a prisoner.