Wisconsin
Wisconsin police can now test saliva if they suspect drugged driving
Westmoreland describes new state law targeting reckless drivers
Milwaukee Alderman Lamont Westmoreland, flanked by Common Council colleagues and Milwaukee Police Department Assistant Chief Craig Sarnow, discusses a pending state law that will allow police to crack down on reckless drivers.
A new state law allows police who suspect drugged driving to perform a rapid roadside test of the driver’s saliva to check for THC, opioids, meth and more, though police departments don’t appear ready to roll it out immediately.
State law already allows police to use breathalyzers to check blood-alcohol levels, but those devices don’t test for other intoxicating substances. The new law allows police to sample oral fluids – mainly saliva – when they suspect an OWI.
Law enforcement groups that advocated for the law change say drug impairment is more difficult to identify than alcohol intoxication. Plus, intoxication levels can decrease between the time police make a traffic stop and a blood sample is collected.
“Oral fluid screening would give officers an additional, objective tool to confirm the presence of drugs – much like a preliminary breath test does for alcohol – before making an arrest decision,” Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said at a December public hearing.
Wisconsin Act 99 became effective March 15, two days after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed it into law. The state Legislature passed it in February with bipartisan support.
Here’s what to know about the new law:
What does the law allow police to do when they suspect an impaired driver?
If police have probable cause to believe a driver is intoxicated, the officer can request a saliva or breath test, or both. That’s in addition to field sobriety tests.
The officer places a mouth swab inside the driver’s cheek or under the tongue and runs it through a handheld device, such as Abbott’s SoToxa or Alere DDS2.
The legislation was amended to allow the tests for suspected intoxicated operation of vehicles other than cars, such as boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, UTVs and more.
Are the oral drug tests admissible in court?
No. The test results aren’t admissible in court and must be destroyed or returned to the person after the test is completed.
The preliminary tests are used only to help police decide whether to make an arrest and pursue laboratory confirmation testing.
Have police in Wisconsin tried saliva drug tests before?
Yes. The Dane County and Manitowoc County sheriff’s offices piloted the program in 2016 and 2019, finding that oral fluid testing devices were accurate and consistent with blood tests.
Dane County conducted its study with the State Laboratory of Hygiene and published the results in an academic journal. The study found that 64% of participants arrested for an OWI also had one or more drugs in their blood, with THC the most common.
Manitowoc County worked with the State Laboratory of Hygiene and the Wisconsin State Patrol on its study, which collected 100 voluntary samples. Results showed 41% of OWI offenders were positive for THC, 20% for amphetamine and 14% for methamphetamine.
Which police agencies plan to use the new saliva drug test?
Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association President Danny Thompson said he wasn’t aware of any agencies immediately using the test.
“Although this roadside test will be very beneficial to arresting dangerous, impaired drivers, we have not heard of any agencies ready to implement this kind of testing right away,” Thompson said in a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
A Milwaukee Police Department spokesperson said the department isn’t using the tests “at this time and are still looking into it.” A Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The two departments that piloted the program also don’t plan to bring it back right away.
Manitowoc County Sheriff Daniel Hartwig said his office is monitoring guidance related to the new law but doesn’t have plans to implement it at this point. A Dane County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said the county would use it “given the appropriate funding and resources.”
How much would the program cost?
Each SoToxa device appears to cost around $4,500 to $5,000, according to news reports on programs in North Dakota and San Diego.
Law enforcement groups said agencies in Wisconsin would likely pursue funding for the devices through federal grants.
Do other states use saliva screening?
Yes. A state-by-state analysis from the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving shows 10 states have statewide roadside oral fluid testing programs, and another eight have the program in some jurisdictions.
A 2021 report from the National Conference of State Legislatures found nearly half of states have the law, but few used it. One that does is Indiana, where over 200 handheld test devices are used across 110 law enforcement agencies.
Who authored and supported the law?
The bill was authored by Republicans, including Sen. Jesse James from Thorp and Rep. Barbara Dittrich from Oconomowoc. Several Democrats became cosponsors, including Rep. Lori Palmeri from Oshkosh and Rep. Ryan Spaude from Ashwaubenon.
Supporters of the bill included AAA Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Police Association, the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. No groups registered in opposition to the bill.
What qualifies as operating while intoxicated in Wisconsin?
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and state law, a driver is considered to be operating while intoxicated if:
- The driver is under the influence of an intoxicant, controlled substance or other drug that impairs their ability to safely operate a vehicle, even if the vehicle isn’t in motion at the time of the traffic stop.
- The driver has a detectable amount of a restricted controlled substance in their blood. That includes cocaine, heroin, meth, delta-9 THC (if at a concentration of one or more nanograms per milliliter in a person’s blood) and more.
- The driver has a BAC over what the law allows, such as above 0.08 for first-time offenders, 0.04 for commercial drivers or 0.02 for drivers with three or more prior OWIs.
Hope Karnopp can be reached at HKarnopp@usatodayco.com.
Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 3-2-6
Evening: 6-9-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 8-8-1-3
Evening: 0-4-4-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 01-02-06-07-09-12-14-16-18-20-22
Evening: 01-06-07-11-12-13-14-15-19-21-22
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from April 26 drawing
06-10-17-18-21
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from April 26 drawing
01-04-07-13-19-27, Doubler: N
Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
- Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
- Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **
WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Flood warnings persist in parts of Wisconsin Sunday, April 26 as forecasts call for more potential storms early in the week.
The National Weather Service issued the warnings early Sunday. The warnings are in place for Rock, Dodge, Jefferson, Winnebago, Shawano, Outagamie, Waushara and Waupaca counties.
Some of the warnings are in effect until Thursday morning, April 30, while others remain in place until further notice.
The NWS urges motorists not to attempt to drive through flooded areas or around barricades.
Forecasts call for showers and a chance for a thunderstorm Monday, April 27. Skies should begin to clear up Tuesday but temperatures are expected to hover in the mid-50s and low 60s through the week.
See weather radar for Wisconsin
What to do during a flood warning
- If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Use a battery-operated radio or television to get the latest emergency information.
- Do not walk through floodwater. Just six inches of floodwater can sweep you off your feet if it is moving swiftly.
- Turn around, don’t drown; do not drive into a flooded street. Cars can be swept away by two feet of moving water or there may be unseen damage to the road. If you come to a flooded area turn around and go another way. Most flood-related deaths are caused by people driving through water.
- Watch out for fire hazards.
- Move to higher ground.
- Stay alert, turn weather notifications on.
- Do not allow children to play in flowing water. Waters can hide rocks, trees and debris.
This weather report was generated automatically using information from the National Weather Service and a story written and reviewed by an editor.
See the latest weather alerts and forecasts here
A troubling trend for the Wisconsin football continues when it comes to the NFL Draft.
In the past, it was common for Wisconsin football players to be taken early and often over the three days of the draft, but recently, the number of Badgers being taken is dwindling. And when they are, they have been late Day 3 picks.
This year the program hit rock bottom. Not one Badger got drafted in 257 selections, the first time since 1978. There was a thought that maybe a few Badgers would be picked late, but they all went undrafted.
But that doesn’t mean those players football dream is over.
As soon as that last pick is announced, players are agreeing to sign on with teams as undrafted free agents (UDFAs). As was the case with many other former Wisconsin Badgers, these players will have a shot to make an NFL roster in 2026 the hard way.
Here is where every Badger landed as an undrafted rookie after the NFL Draft was completed.
Destinations For Every Undrafted Wisconsin Badger
EDGE Mason Reiger – Signed with the Miami Dolphins – via Jordan Schultz
WR Vinny Anthony – Signed with the Atlanta Falcons – via Nick Osen, 247Sports
TE Lance Mason – Signed with the Seattle Seahawks – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
S Austin Brown – Signed with the Indianapolis Colts – via Tom Pelissero, NFL Network
OL Riley Mahlman – Signed with the Atlanta Falcons – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
CB Nyzier Fourqurean – Signed with the Los Angeles Rams – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
EDGE Darryl Peterson – Signed with the Los Angeles Rams – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
FB Jackson Acker – Signed with the Buffalo Bills – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
DL Ben Barten – Signed with the New York Giants – via Wisconsin Football
WR Jayden Ballard – Invited to minicamp with the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
DL Jay’Viar Suggs – Signed with the New Orleans Saints – via US Sports Management
DL Parker Petersen – Signed with the Carolina Panthers – via Wisconsin Football
K Nathanial Vakos – Invited to minicamp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – via Wisconsin Football
This will be updated with new signings.
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