APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay has been named the ‘Drunkest City in America by the website, 24/7 Wall Street.
And perhaps the poster-child for that dubious distinction was in court Thursday.
WLUK was in the courtroom as 63-year-old Gerald Blasczyk of Hobart was being sentenced for his 13th OWI conviction.
“I’m not the victim here. I’m here to hold myself accountable”
The conviction came for an incident that happened in 2011. The case had been working through the courts since.
In court Thursday, Blasczyk admitted he is an alcoholic.
“I’m apologizing to this court and to the DA”
Assistant District Attorney Peter Hahn urged the judge to give Blasczyk a harsh sentence.
“The amount that he drank and his disregard for anybody else when he drinks and his decision to drive is astounding…Any treatment he is going to be given needs to be in a prison setting” Blasczyk’s defense attorney Walter Piel asked the judge for leniency. He said his client’s alcoholism comes partially from the culture in Northeast Wisconsin that condones heavy drinking.
A survey named Green Bay the drunkest city in America, with Appleton close behind at number three and Oshkosh-Neenah as number six.
The survey considered factors like the number of bars in an area, the percentage of driving deaths involving alcohol and the percentage of adults that drink to excess.
It shows more than 26% of adults in the Green Bay area admit to regularly drinking to excess.
Judge Mitchell Metropulos acknowledged the drinking culture surrounding Blasczyk, but still had strong words for the defendent.
“You’re lucky you haven’t killed yourself or someone else”
The judge gave Blasczyk the maximum sentence of 12 years and six months, with seven years and six months to be served in prison.
“Confinement for you to protect society…given your record, given your failures on supervision in the past. This is your 13th offense”
Blasczyk will be given credit for nearly three years he was in prison during this court case.
