Edgar Man Sentenced for 5th OWI

Friday, November 7th, 2025 -- 11:00 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) An Edgar man has pleaded no contest to a 5th OWI and will serve 18 months in prison.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Dennis Zielinski entered the plea on Thursday. After initial confinement, he will serve another three years on extended supervision and pay court costs plus a $1,800 fine.

Charges stem from a crash on Highway 153 in April 2024, where officers found Zielinski’s vehicle in the ditch near Eau Pline Road. The 48-year-old was passed out behind the wheel, and when he came to, he couldn’t tell officers basic information like his phone number and home address.

Investigators add that he couldn’t answer some of their questions, then, out of the blue, told them he loved them. He blew a .232 on a breathalyzer test, more than ten times his legal limit due to his prior convictions. Zielinski was given credit for three days already served.

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