LACROSSE, Wis. — Amiable man-about-town and self-made multi-millionaire Don Weber found himself in an orange jail jumpsuit after driving into two parked cars in a residential area. His own 3-1/2 -ton SUV rolled on its side. Police said Weber was drunk. He was injured superficially. No one else was hurt. After being cleared medically at a hospital. police took Weber to jail. He was booked on these charges:
> Driving while intoxicated, his second such offense.
> Driving while drunk with a firearm.
> Carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
The accident s was about 10 p.m. on quiet Vine Street in the Goosetown neighborhood between Western Wisconsin Tech and UW-LaCrosse. Weber had spent the evening at the ritzy Charmant Hotel, which he owns, after also drinking earlier at a bar on French Island. At the Charmant, he had five shots of brandy, he told officers. The police report quoted Weber, age 77, that he had made a mistake and should have taken a taxi home.
Weber. Founder of Logistics Health as a contractor-processor of medical insurance claims. He is a generous philanthropist to LaCrosse causes. His largesse includes the $8 million 450-seat Weber Center for the Performing Arts on the riverfront.
Wreck aftermath. In 1000 block Vine Street. Weber, a hunter and outdoor enthusiast, had a firearm in the vehicle in violation of laws that require permission to carry, police said. Image: Emily English