DARLINGTON — A 37-year-old Darlington man was sentenced to three years probation, including 60 days in jail and a $600 fine, on six of the 11 charges he faced.
William M. Breen pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to fourth-offense operating while intoxicated, felony bail jumping, disorderly conduct — domestic abuse, battery or threat to a law enforcement officer, resisting or obstructing an officer and attempted strangulation and suffocation — domestic abuse.
Chargers of fourth-offense operating with prohibited alcohol concentration, attempted battery or threat to a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property, and two counts of disorderly conduct were dismissed.
Breen’s probation term includes completing Lafayette County OWI Court and paying court costs. Work-release privileges were granted, according to court records.
Several campers at the campground on Washington Street called 9-1-1 July 27, 2022, around 1:35 p.m. to report that a man was assaulting a woman in the campground, according to Darlington police.
According to the criminal complaint, two fishermen on the Pecatonica River on West River Street saw Breen lying down on the ground on the right side of a tent. One of the fishermen heard the woman Breen was with say something, then saw Breen get up and start to hit the woman in her ribs and back six or seven times.
Breen then got in his car and drove to the other side of the river to confront the fishermen, with Breen getting in the face of one of them, according to the criminal complaint.
When officers arrived, Breen climbed down the riverbank and went back to the campground where more officers were waiting and arrested him, according to the criminal complaint.
Breen was arrested for drunk driving after an officer noticed an odor of intoxicants from Breen and that his eyes were bloodshot and glossy and Breen was “talking quickly and mumbling his words.” Breen refused field sobriety testing, according to the criminal complaint.
Breen then struggled with officers and tried to run out of a Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County room, with three police officers and a Lafayette County deputy sheriff needed to subdue him. During the struggle, Breen told a Darlington officer “I know where you [expletive deleted] live, you better watch out, buddy,” and “Bye bye, burn, burn,” according to the criminal complaint.
Breen pleaded no contest Oct. 24 to possessing a weapon in violation of a domestic abuse or child abuse restraining order and was sentenced to one year in jail with work release privileges.
Breen originally pleaded guilty to the weapon charge, which was for an incident in Aug. 2020, in Jan. 2021. A two-year deferred prosecution agreement was reached but was rescinded, and an arrest warrant was issued after Breen failed to appear for a court hearing Aug. 10, according to court records.
Another arrest warrant was issued after Breen failed to appear for a court hearing Feb. 15, according to court records. The warrant was canceled after Breen made a video appearance from a jail in Kentucky July 22, according to court records.
Breen also was placed on three years probation after he pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to felony bail jumping dating back to Aug. 2021.