Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo was arrested Thursday night in Milwaukee on a charge of operating while intoxicated. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy stopped Romo on I-43 after observing erratic driving. Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was taken into custody. He was later released and is scheduled to appear in court on September 21.
Here’s where the story takes a turn that surprises many Suncoast residents. In Wisconsin, a first-offense OWI is classified as a civil violation — similar to a speeding ticket — not a criminal charge. The penalty is a fine between $150 and $300, with no jail time or license suspension required. Compare that to Florida law, where a first DUI conviction carries fines up to $1,000, possible jail time of up to six months, and a license suspension of at least 180 days. Two states with very different approaches to impaired driving.
The arrest comes at an awkward time for Romo. He is scheduled to compete in the Texas State Open golf tournament next week and remains on staff as CBS’s lead NFL color analyst. No statement has been released by the network or the tournament organizers. What do you think? Should Wisconsin toughen its first-offense OWI laws, or is the civil penalty sufficient? Let us know in the comments.
