Man Can Go to Jail or Wear "I Was Stupid" Sign /

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Man Can Go to Jail or Wear "I Was Stupid" Sign

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Posted: 3:14 PM Aug 29, 2008
Last Updated: 10:22 PM Aug 29, 2008
Reporter: WEAU 13 News
Email Address: news@weau.com

19 comments

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An Eau Claire man who damaged city property has a couple options for making amends.

Eau Claire County Judge Paul Lenz says Shane McQuillan can spend 20 days in jail, or he can wear a sign for a day that reads "I was stupid."

The 22-year-old McQuillan pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property after driving into the front gate of the Eau Claire waste water treatment plant last March after he had been drinking.

Judge Paul Lenz says McQuillan would be required to stand in front of the plant wearing the sign for an entire day, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A criminal complaint says McQuillan told the officer who arrested him near the treatment plant he had been drinking and "was just being stupid." The complaint says McQuillan's blood alcohol content was 0.238. The legal driving limit is 0.08.

There's no immediate word on which option McQuillan will choose.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Trent on Oct 11, 2008 at 03:27 AM
Maybe all the people posting that he was 4x the legal limit should wear the stupid sign. .238 is just shy of THREE TIMES the legal limit. Also a OMVWI is an unclassified misdemeanor, so there is not set jail time or punishment. So if you like it or not, this is what he got. Next time, I bet he gets over 180 days and $2000 in fines.

Posted by: Jen on Oct 9, 2008 at 11:47 PM
this guy has a owi...is pictured on the news...has people commenting on how they feel the judge is wrong (which I am sure you were all in court and know the whole story) GIVE IT UP!! what could have happened,should have,might have DID NOT HAPPEN. SO... the judge thinks the sign is punishment enough to add on to the punishment he already has so let it be OR you run for judge.

Posted by: I'm Confused Location: Eau Claire on Sep 1, 2008 at 01:24 PM
It's amazing how this situation and the situation of the hill jumpers are the same - yet different. The response to this particular situation is "he should go to jail" etc., but when someone kills someone else hill jumping it is an "accident", "he didn't mean to kill his friend". See how this can be confusing???

Posted by: Jane Location: Neillsville on Aug 31, 2008 at 08:33 PM
Call this punishment?? oK, now I rob a bank and get caught, do I wear a sign in front of that bank for a day reading= I was stupid and tried to rob this bank. I got caught trying to shoot someone= I was sorry I missed my target? I get caught for identity theft= I was stupid and tried to be someone else? I think this judge ought to stand along side this man with a sign saying= I let drunk drivers get away with it!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: WOW Location: eau claire on Aug 31, 2008 at 11:56 AM
i wish that when i am dumb and get pulled over for drinking and driving over 4 times the limit that someone gives me a sign to wear for one day and then i don't have to worry about the mistake that i could have made by killing someone, all because i wore a sign and that was my punishment! how stupid....he should wear the sign and go to jail.

Posted by: Kari Location: Wheeler on Aug 31, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Where has our justice system gone wrong?? There should be stronger punishments for people who choose to take other peoples lives in their hands. They should make him never want to do something like that again but instead they are showing him that it is alright and he will only have to wear a sign for 8 hours!!! He could have killed someone!

Posted by: Andrew Location: Chippewa Falls on Aug 31, 2008 at 09:22 AM
Only a day...how about a whole week, M-F?

Posted by: Vixon Location: WI on Aug 30, 2008 at 08:51 PM
The math doesn't add up in my book. 1 day is 24 hours not 8 hours. If he wants him to wear a sign for a day it should be 3 eight hour shifts.

Posted by: GARY O HAMMOND Location: HAYWARD on Aug 30, 2008 at 06:14 PM
THE JUDGE SHOULD HAVE MADE HIM HAVE IT TATOOED ON HIS FOREHEAD AND WEAR IT FOR LIFE!!!!

Posted by: Red Location: EauClaire on Aug 30, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Thought Cameron was a waste for a judge this one gives him a run for his money. How do these guys get elected?????????

Posted by: Jenna Location: Watertown on Aug 30, 2008 at 04:45 PM
I'm sure we will be reading another story about this guy killing someone, because the judge is making a joke of the whole thing. Drinking and driving should be a serious crime, whether you actually kill someone or not. There is always the potential - if you drink while you drive, you could kill someone. Just because you didn't kill anyone that time, doesn't make it ok...

Posted by: sbhs Location: chippewa falls on Aug 30, 2008 at 09:36 AM
I went to school with this guy, he needs to wear the sign..But invite all his old high school friends to watch him out there.

Posted by: Steph Location: Georgia on Aug 30, 2008 at 08:22 AM
I could go either way on this. Public humiliation is a good form of punishment. But the guy was drinking and driving and was 4 times the legal limit anything could've happened.

Posted by: anonymous on Aug 29, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Peolple should know the whole story before they go rambling on about things!! This was added on to his sentance he already recieved!

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 29, 2008 at 11:04 PM
I agree with Jamie. What is this judge thinking. Did the guy even get an OWI? This bs punishment will give him a good story at the bars the night he ends up killing someone while driving drunk. Way to go Lenz

Posted by: Jamie McRoberts Location: Elk Mound on Aug 29, 2008 at 08:40 PM
Are you kidding me? He was almost 4 times the legal limit! If he would have killed someone this judge probably would have let him off with a sign that said "Ooops! I killed someone!"

Posted by: anon Location: chippewa valley on Aug 29, 2008 at 08:25 PM
studies have shown that humiliation is one of the best forms of punishment and that is what is being done here.

Posted by: Red Location: EauClaire on Aug 29, 2008 at 07:48 PM
Wow one day with a sign that will do it.

Posted by: Kyle Location: Wisconsin on Aug 29, 2008 at 05:08 PM
Why doesn't the judge just let him off easier. What is the justice system ending up like? Throw him in jail, not a sign around this neck for 8hrs.