Man reaches plea deal in drunken driving crash case

A Barron man has reached a plea deal in a case in which he stood accused of injuring two people in a hit-and-run crash while drunken driving.

Going into a plea and sentencing hearing on Friday, Nicholas A. Apfel, 42, was facing three charges — misdemeanor first-offense causing injury while operating under the influence, felony hit and run involving injury and misdemeanor causing injury while operating with PAC — that had been filed on Aug. 19 in Barron County Circuit Court.

The first count of causing injury while operating under the influence was amended to first-offense OWI without causing injury, a forfeiture, to which Apfel pleaded guilty. He was fined $874.50 and his driver’s license was revoked for seven months.

Apfel also pleaded guilty to hit and run involving injury and was sentenced to one year on probation, while a six-month jail sentence was imposed but stayed. He also was ordered to maintain absolute sobriety.

The count of causing injury while operating with PAC was dismissed by read into the record.