Full Notification

      On 08-18-25, a Rock County jury found Ronald L. Williamson, age 45, guilty of 7th offense OWI, as well as obstructing and three counts of felony bail jumping. At the time of his arrest, Williamson was on extended supervision for his 5th offense OWI, and was out of custody on a signature bond for a 6th offense OWI in Dane County.
      On July 4th, 2024, Officer Michael Kettle of the Janesville Police Department saw Williamson stop at a stoplight in downtown Janesville, with his vehicle in the lane for oncoming traffic. At the trial, Officer Kettle testified that he saw Williamson switch places with his girlfriend after being pulled over. Although both Williamson and his girlfriend testified that she was the actual driver, Assistant District Attorney Gerald Urbik highlighted several inconsistencies in their original statements. The jury convicted on all counts.
      Williamson was on extended supervision for his OWI 5th when he committed his OWI 6th in Dane County in August of 2023. After spending some significant time in jail, a Dane County judge released him on a signature bond in March of 2024. A few months later, he was arrested by the Janesville Police Department for this offense, his seventh.
      Rock County Judge Jeffery Kuglitsch will sentence Williamson on November 19th of this year. Williamson will be facing a maximum sentence of more than 30 years in the Wisconsin Prison System. Under Wisconsin law, he must be sentenced to at least three years of initial imprisonment before being released on extended supervision.
      "I wish Wisconsin took this kind of repeat drunk driving more seriously,” said District Attorney Jason Sanders, “but I’m grateful for prosecutors like Jerry Urbik, who do take it seriously, and who will put in the work to prove someone guilty when they refuse to take responsibility.” Sanders thanked Officer Kettle and the Janesville Police Department for preventing a tragedy. “A guy who never should’ve been on the road in the first place was so messed up he stopped in the lane for oncoming traffic,” Sanders said. “Who knows what would’ve happened if Officer Kettle doesn’t pull him over.”


Contact: Jason Sanders, Rock County District Attorney [email protected]