Driver who caused I-43 crash accused of being high

A 26-year-old woman who said she was driving at more than 100 mph through the I-43 construction zone in Ozaukee County is accused of being high when she plowed into the back of an SUV Saturday, causing it to roll several times and seriously injuring the two people in it.

Ashley H. Wickersham of St. Francis is charged in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with felony counts of first-degree reckless injury, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and a second and subsequent offense of causing injury while operating a vehicle under the influence, as well as a misdemeanor charge of third-offense operating under the influence.

During a court hearing on Monday, Judge Paul Malloy set Wickersham’s bail at $40,000, significantly more than the $25,000 requested by Assistant District Attorney Kerra Stumbris.

According to a criminal complaint,  when Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputy Maddie Morgan arrived at the scene of the crash on I-43 just north of Highland Drive in Mequon at 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 25 she noticed a concrete barrier on the east side of the northbound lanes had been damaged and pushed about seven feet.

Near the barrier was a severely damaged Honda SUV. All its air bags had deployed, every window of the vehicle was shattered and the back of the SUV had been pushed into the back seat.

The two occupants of the SUV, a man and woman identified as being “older” and only by their initials in the complaint, were standing against the concrete barrier near the vehicle. The woman was bleeding from the side of her head and complained of arm pain.

The man, who was driving the SUV, said they were coming home from a hockey game when all of a sudden a car that was being driven recklessly came up from behind them and hit their vehicle, causing it to roll several times before coming to rest facing south in the northbound lanes of I-43.

Both the man and the woman were taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa because of the severity of their injuries. Authorities later learned that the woman may have fractured several of her vertebrae.

Also at the scene of the crash deputies found a woman later identified as Wickersham lying on the freeway next to her blue sedan. She was unresponsive and also taken to Froedtert Hospital.

Deputies searched her car and in it found a substance believed to be marijuana as well as two cigar cutters, which are sometimes used to cut cigars and fill them with marijuana, the complaint states.

They also noted the car was equipped with an ignition interlock device, which Wickersham was ordered to install after her second conviction for operating while intoxicated in Dane County.

When deputies arrived at Froedtert, they found Wickersham strapped to a bed and surrounded by security guards because of her violent behavior, according to the complaint.

Wickersham admitted she was driving at more than 100 mph in a 60 mph I-43 construction zone, the complaint states.

Hospital staff members found a freshly burnt blunt, or marijuana cigar, as well as an unsmoked blunt in Wickersham’s wallet, according to the complaint.

One deputy reported an overwhelming odor of burnt marijuana in the room.

When Wickersham was asked to consent to a blood draw, she screamed “Jesus” and began thrashing on the bed. A warrant was obtained and a sample of her blood taken.

During Monday’s court hearing, Malloy ordered Wickersham not to drive or possess or use controlled substances or other intoxicants. If she posts bail, she must wear a SCRAM continuous alcohol and location monitoring device.