Man charged with DWI after reportedly leaving prosecutor's office drunk

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A man who visited the office of Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver to pay a fine Tuesday likely wished he had just stayed home.

According to a probable-cause statement released by Oliver, Kerry C. Riepe visited his office to take care of a bad check. When he entered, office manager Debbie Robey informed Riepe he would have to pay with a money order.

During their conversation she noticed he appeared to be intoxicated and she "could smell alcohol coming from him." She then saw him get into his vehicle and drive away. When he returned, Robey asked if he had been drinking and he allegedly responded, "Yes, but I am not driving."

Robey then called the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department while Riepe left and returned to his vehicle.

Riepe was stopped on Route AA by Bloomfield assistant police chief Cody Wheatley and state trooper Alex Lacey. Lacey spoke with Riepe and immediately noticed his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. He could also smell alcohol coming from his body, according to the statement.

After some field sobriety tests, Lacey arrested Riepe and took him to the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department. Riepe then failed a breath test with a blood-alcohol content level of 0.113.

Riepe was then placed on a 24-hour hold when authorities discovered he had two prior DWI offenses: one in 1983 and one in 1998.

He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated.

His bond was set at $15,000 cash only, and he remains in Stoddard County Jail pending arraignment this morning.