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A former college dean who drove 14 miles the wrong way on a Milwaukee freeway while drunk was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail, but could go to prison for 21/2 years if he fails to remain sober.

Patrick Coffey, 70, of New Berlin made the dangerous drive south in the northbound lanes of I-43/94 on Aug. 15, after leaving Irish Fest, according to a criminal complaint.

Coffey, then the dean of students at Milwaukee School of Engineering, retired shortly after he was charged with drunken driving and operating with a prohibited blood-alcohol content, both third offenses, along with a felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.

Coffey pleaded guilty in January to operating while intoxicated and recklessly endangering safety counts. The prohibited blood-alcohol charge was dismissed.

On Thursday, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Glenn Yamahiro sentenced Coffey to 30 months in prison and three years of extended supervision on the felony, but suspended the sentence in favor of four years of probation.

A condition of the probation is that he serve one year at either the House of Correction or the Waukesha County Jail. Coffey will have release privileges for work, treatment and community service.

Yamahiro imposed an additional six months of jail time for the drunken driving conviction, but made it concurrent to the other sentence.

Coffey's driver's license is revoked for 21/2 years, and he will be required to use an ignition interlock device on his car for another 21/2 years if and when is license is reinstated.