CHIPPEWA FALLS — A former Chippewa Falls man who was driving drunk and struck another vehicle and fled the scene in March 2023 has been sentenced to serve 2½ years in prison.
John R. Kolstad, 34, appeared Monday in Chippewa County Court via video from Oshkosh Correctional Facility, where he entered no contest pleas to OWI-6, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal trespass to property and bail jumping. All other charges, including hit-and-run, were read-in and dismissed.
Judge Benjamin Lane ordered the prison sentence, along with three years of extended supervision, and he made the sentence concurrent to the one Kolstad is already serving. Kolstad must pay $3,878 in court costs and fines. Kolstad’s driver’s license was permanently revoked. Kolstad must take a drug alcohol treatment course and must submit a DNA sample. While on extended supervision, Kolstad cannot consume alcohol or enter taverns. He is eligible for the substance abuse program.
Earlier this year, Kolstad was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his fifth OWI offense in Clark County Court. Kolstad previously lived at 20204 75th Ave., Chippewa Falls.
Kolstad had not shown up for a September 2023 hearing in Chippewa County Court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Assistant District Attorney Scott Zehr previously said Kolstad has not been in compliance with pre-trial monitoring.
According to the criminal complaint, a person called the dispatch center on March 2, 2023, and said he had been struck from behind by another car, which left the scene. The victim followed the car that had struck him and gave the license plate information to the dispatch center, which showed the car belonged to Kolstad.
Officers went to Kolstad’s home in the town of Lafayette; Kolstad was already out of the vehicle but the car was still running and in gear. When the officer asked about what happened, Kolstad responded, “I was driving like a maniac.” While talking to Kolstad, the officer observed signs of impairment, and recognized signs that Kolstad had likely used meth. The officer obtained permission to search Kolstad’s vehicle, where the officer located a pipe in the front passenger seat that he identified as being used for meth. The officer also found .4 ounces of meth. Kolstad was arrested and taken to an area hospital for a blood draw, then taken to the Chippewa County Jail.
The criminal trespass to a dwelling and bail jumping convictions stem from an incident in October 2023 that was unrelated to the drunk-driving case. Lane ordered nine months in jail on the criminal trespass conviction, but he made that concurrent to the OWI sentence.
In May 2024, Kolstad was convicted of operating a motor vehicle with restricted controlled substances in his system in Dunn County Court (his fourth OWI); he was ordered to serve 230 days in jail on that conviction.