Wausau Man Sentenced for his 8th OWI

Friday, May 16th, 2025 -- 5:01 PM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) A 60-year-old Wausau man will serve 3.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to his 8th OWI.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Steven Podeweltz pleaded guilty to the felony on Thursday. Other counts were dismissed, including failure to install an ignition interlock device and multiple counts of operating with a revoked license.

The charge stems from a March incident at a Wausau-area fast-food restaurant where workers observed Podeweltz revving his engine in the parking lot before he entered the dining room.

Employees said he was stumbling and slurring his speech, leading them to call police as he left. Officers caught up to him near his home on Scott Street, where he failed a field sobriety test and blew a .17 on a breathalyzer.

Podeweltz’s sentence also includes 4.5 years of extended supervision and credit for 68 days already served in jail. He was also fined $2,000 plus court costs. Court records show his previous OWI charges date back to 2001.

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