As reported by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Monday, Feb. 6:

A Merrill man, 45, will face a charge of 2nd offense operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) following a traffic stop in the Town of Rock Falls on Sunday morning, Feb. 5. A deputy on patrol on U.S. Hwy. 51 stopped the vehicle the man was operating just after 3 a.m., after observing it traveling 91 MPH in a 65 MPH speed zone.

Just a couple hours earlier, another deputy stopped a vehicle on County Rd. A in the Town of Bradley after learning the driver was operating with a suspended driver’s license. Upon contact with the driver, a Tomahawk man, 55, the investigating deputy noted signs indicative of intoxication, including red, glassy eyes and the odor of intoxicating beverages. A check of the man’s driving history indicated two previous offenses of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. As a result, the man was taken into custody on a 3rd offense OWI charge and was cited for operating after suspension.

Earlier Sunday afternoon, a Phillips man, 71, was taken into custody and cited for 1st offense OWI following a traffic stop in the Town of Merrill. A deputy on patrol on U.S. Hwy. 51 stopped the vehicle the man was operating near mile marker 211 after noting suspicious driving behavior. Upon contact with the driver, the investigating deputy noted signs indicative of impairment, including red, glassy eyes, slurred speech and the odor of intoxicating beverages.

A Merrill man, 31, avoided injury following a one-vehicle crash on Sunday morning, Jan. 29, in the Town of Scott. A preliminary investigation of the crash indicated the vehicle the man was operating was northbound on County Rd. K just before 1 a.m., when the operator fell asleep, causing the vehicle to drift into the southbound lane. The vehicle continued into the ditch and struck an electrical box before coming to a rest. The vehicle sustained disabling damage and was later towed from the scene.

Six people reported striking deer in Lincoln County last week, down from seven the week before.