BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI — A Black River Falls woman was arrested early Aug. 29 after a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle that had recently been reported stolen in Jackson County and said the driver appeared impaired. Police identified the driver as 47-year-old Cecelia P. Bede and said the stop happened around 12:40 a.m. on Highway 12.
Authorities say the arrest followed an observation of signs of impairment during the traffic stop. Bede was booked on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, fifth offense, along with several additional charges tied to the same encounter.
State Patrol says the vehicle had been reported stolen in Jackson County
According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the trooper stopped the vehicle because it had recently been reported stolen. The agency did not say in the information provided how the vehicle was taken or how long it had been missing before the stop.
The incident happened on Highway 12 in Black River Falls, a route that runs through the city and serves as a main local corridor. The arrest came after the trooper made contact with the driver and noticed what authorities described as impairment.
That initial stop turned a theft-related investigation into a broader criminal case once the driver’s condition became part of the encounter.
Blood draw warrant obtained before transport to hospital and jail
Officials said a warrant for an evidentiary blood draw was obtained after the arrest. Bede was then taken to a local hospital before being transported to the Jackson County Jail.
The blood draw is typically used to collect evidence in suspected impaired-driving cases. In this case, investigators moved forward after the trooper’s observations at the roadside led to the arrest and the warrant request.
The sequence of events suggests the traffic stop became both an impaired-driving investigation and a case involving the alleged unlawful use of the vehicle.
Bede faces multiple charges beyond fifth-offense OWI
In addition to the fifth-offense operating while intoxicated allegation, Bede was also charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, battery or threats to law enforcement, and resisting or obstructing an officer.
The additional counts indicate police say the arrest involved more than a routine traffic stop. State Patrol did not provide further details about the alleged battery or threats charge, and no further facts about the reported resistance were included in the information released.
At this stage, the case centers on the stolen-vehicle stop, the impairment allegation, and the separate charges filed after the arrest. Any court proceedings would determine how the allegations are handled going forward.
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