Sussex Man Caught Speeding in Hartland With Beer and Marijuana

A 25-year-old Sussex man is facing charges after he got caught driving with a can of beer in his center console while doing 80 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour speed zone.

Ryan Groth was charged in Friday with one count of second offense operating while intoxicated and one count of possession of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. If convicted, he could face up to one year in prison and $2,100 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

At 11:42 p.m. Thursday, a Hartland police officer spotted Groth speeding near Highway 16 and Highway 83 and pulled him over. When the officer reached the car, he saw an unopened beer can in the center console and Groth had glassy eyes.

Groth told the officer he had two or three drinks before driving, but he had a blood alcohol level of 0.16, twice the legal limit to drive in Wisconsin.

The officer then place him under arrest and searched his car, where he found marijuana and a pipe used to smoke the drug.

Groth was previously convicted of OWI in 2002. He’s free on a $1,500 signature bond while awaiting trial.