Stratford Man Sentenced for 5th and 6th OWI

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 -- 12:00 PM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) A Marathon County man facing his 5th and 6th OWIs will serve prison time for each count.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Joseph Wirkus, of Stratford, entered a no contest plea to both charges on Tuesday and was sentenced to a total of four years in prison; two on each count, according to court records.

His sentence also includes hundreds of dollars in fines and court costs and six years of extended supervision. The 68-year-old was out on bond for his 5th OWI when he was pulled over for driving erratically along Highway 97 last August.

Witnesses noted that he was weaving in and out of oncoming traffic and traveling well under the speed limit. When officers caught up to him, he was slumped over the steering wheel.

Officers also noted that he had glassy eyes and the vehicle reeked of alcohol. He was immediately taken for a blood draw before being booked into the Marathon County Jail. He will be given credit for 229 days already served in jail.

He will also have his driver’s license revoked for three years and must maintain absolute sobriety from drugs and alcohol as part of his sentence.

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