Man in court for seventh OWI charge

The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·1 min read
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EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man charged with a seventh OWI was in court Monday for a status conference in the case.

Pao Chon Hang, 37, faces that charge and one for failing to install an ignition interlock device. The charges were filed after a January stop by a state trooper, and Hang has pleaded not guilty.

According to the criminal complaint, the trooper spotted a vehicle with an illegible license plate. When he stopped the car the driver, identified as Hang, was shaking and smoking a cigarette. Hang told the trooper he was trying to get a new license plate, but didn’t have proof of insurance.

When the trooper ran Hang’s license, he found the prior OWI convictions. Those resulted in Hang being under a .02 restriction for alcohol, a quarter of the legal limit. He returned to Hang’s vehicle and saw he had begun a second cigarette, which the trooper suspected was trying to mask any smell of alcohol.

Based on that, the trooper asked Hang to perform sobriety tests and, when those suggested impairment, a breath test. Hang blew a .084, which was above the legal limit and well above that imposed by the previous convictions.

Hang's prior record includes OWI convictions in Dunn and Eau Claire counties dating back to 2008, though the most recent was in 2016.

A seventh OWI conviction can result prison sentences of 3-12 years and fines that can reach up to $25,000.