Tribal Police Department to Crack Down on Drunken Motorists During Sober Driving Campaign

The Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Police Department will be out in force along with hundreds of other law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin for the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Crackdown on drunken drivers from August 16 through Sept. 2.

Drunken driving is one of the most prevalent and deadly crimes in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Last year, 223 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes in Wisconsin. There were nearly 27,000 convictions for drunken driving in the state last year.

“Drunken driving is entirely preventable. You can designate a sober driver or find an alternative way home. But if you make the irresponsible choice to drive while impaired our officers will be on the lookout, and we will arrest you,” says Chief of Police Timothy DeBrot. “The devastating consequences of a drunken driving arrest include major embarassment, expensive penalties, mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device, and possibly jail time. Driving drunk will be a decision you will regret the rest of your life, if you are lucky enough to live.”

To help prevent drunken driving, the Zero in Wisconsin traffic safety initiative has a free “Drive Sober” mobile app, which includes features like “Find a Ride,” blood alcohol estimator and designated driver selector to help you get home safely and achieve zero preventable deaths on Wisconsin roadways. The Drive Sober app can be downloaded by visiting zeroinwisconsin.gov.

Tribal Governing Board Statement on Fatal Shooting at Lac Courte Oreilles

The Lac Courte Oreilles Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Sawyer County Sheriff's Office are investigating a shooting that occurred on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at approximately 11:30 p.m. Officers responded to the scene on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation to find a deceased individual with gunshot wounds.

On behalf of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board, Chairman Michael Isham released the following statement about the incident.

“The events of August 7th that resulted in the death of a young man on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation are tragic and touch every family of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe and our entire community,” said Isham. “Many members of the LCO community knew the families involved in this untimely tragedy and we all share in the pain they feel.”

The deceased individual located at the scene was 26-year-old James A. Hamilton of Stone Lake, Wis. The shooter, a 29-year-old Hayward man, called 911 from the apartment where the incident occurred. He was taken to the Hayward hospital and Sawyer County Jail before being released. An autopsy was performed on Hamilton by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner in St. Paul, Minn. Sawyer County authorities suggest the shooting may have been in self defense.

“Even though we don't know many of the details leading up to the incident, it is still a sad day when a family suffers such loss,” Isham added. “Our hearts go out to the families of those involved and on behalf of the Tribal Governing Board, we will look to assist in the investigation any way we can.”

Further details will be released by Lac Courte Oreilles as they become available. The case remains under investigation.