Racine County D.A. pleads guilty to OWI, hit-and-run, obstruction misdemeanors

By Patricia Bogumil

Editor

Racine County District Attorney Richard Chiapete has agreed to plead guilty and pay $1,205 to settle Operating While Intoxicated, Hit and Run, and Obstructing an Officer municipal ordinance citations recently lodged against him.

But Chiapete said he doesn’t expect the incident in question to also cost him his job.

“I have no intention of resigning. I would hope that the citizens of this community would look at my entire track record,” Chiapete said, commenting via email soon after the settlement agreement was announced.

“I love this community and believe in the job. I look forward to serving as their District Attorney for a long time.”

On April 10, City of Racine Deputy City Attorney Scott Letteney announced the settlement agreement, while also releasing to the media copies of police investigatory reports of the incident, which occurred about 10 p.m., April 4.

Besides paying $1,205 in court-ordered costs by June 16, the agreement calls for Chiapete’s driver’s license to be revoked for one year. He must also pay for an ignition interlock device to be installed on his vehicles.

Also, for one year after getting his driving privileges back, Chiapete cannot drive a vehicle that does not have an ignition interlock device installed. He must also undergo a court-ordered drug and alcohol assessment and comply with its recommendations.

The settlement agreement, now filed with the City of Racine municipal court, is not a done deal.

Letteney noted that Kenosha Municipal Judge Michael Easton has the discretion to accept or reject the agreement that the two parties signed.

Easton was appointed to hear Chiapete’s case after Racine Municipal Judge Mark Nielsen recused himself.

Chiapete was originally cited for OWI and hit and run violations, after City of Racine police identified him as the driver of a vehicle that crashed in a north side city neighborhood, damaging a traffic signal and tree.

The driver, later identified as Chiapete, had fled from the scene to his home, located nearby.

A later citation for obstruction was filed after Chiapete told the investigating officer that he had been inside his house sleeping for the last two hours rather than operating the crashed vehicle.

The officer reportedly told Chiapete he knew for a fact that Chiapete had just arrived home since he had personally watched Chiapete walk inside his front door just 10 minutes earlier.

Field tests subsequently conducted indicated possible intoxication; a preliminary breath test given at midnight recorded a level of 0.159 – about twice the legal limit of 0.08 for driving in Wisconsin.

As a result of those tests, Chiapete was transported to the City Police Department Intoximeter Room and asked to submit to a breath or blood test.

He initially agreed to a blood test, but then later refused, reportedly saying the test didn’t matter because everything he worked his whole life for was done.

Chiapete confirmed April 11 that the information contained in the incident reports is accurate. “I thank God that no one was injured. I take full responsibility for my actions. That is why I have not contested any of the citations.”

He described his actions that evening as “a series of the worst decisions I have ever made in my life.

“I have no excuses.”