'Felt fine to drive:' 1 1/2 years in prison for woman convicted of crashing into squad, tow truck

Yessica Trevino



KENOSHA COUNTY -- A woman convicted of crashing into a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper's squad and a tow truck while driving drunk with three children in her vehicle was sentenced to prison Thursday, April 25.

Yessica Trevino, 31, of Fond du Lac, in March pleaded guilty to two charges:


    In court on Thursday, Trevino was sentenced to serve three years' probation on the first conviction, and 18 months in prison and six months' extended supervision on the second conviction, with credit for 145 days' time served. The probation was ordered to be served consecutively to the extended supervision, so Trevino will essentially be on probation for three years and six months following the prison sentence. Trevino was ordered to pay more than $49,000 in restitution. Her driver's license was suspended for 18 months, and she was ordered to utilize an ignition interlock device.

    The wreck happened on the evening of Dec. 2, 2018 along southbound I-94/I-41 near Bristol.

    Yessica Trevino



    According to the criminal complaint, deputies on the scene saw a black sedan (driven by Trevino) quickly pass one squad before Trevino lost control and struck the rear end of a state trooper's squad at a high rate of speed. The collision "pushed that squad car forward so that the front of the squad car was near the front of the tow truck." The airbags in the squad deployed -- and the trooper "stated he was experiencing back and head pain as a result of the impact."

    Wisconsin State Trooper rear-ended on I-94



    When a deputy went to Trevino's vehicle, he saw two children in the back seat. One of the children was in an infant seat that had "turned over, indicating it was improperly installed." The deputy estimated that child was 1. A second child, age 3, was "on top of the overturned infant seat and crying loudly." A third child, age 11, was outside of the vehicle. He had been ejected from the vehicle, his head struck the median wall, and he had a deep cut to his face. The complaint indicated the boy was "crying and repeating, 'This has to be a dream.'"

    The complaint indicated a deputy saw a bag inside Trevino's car that contained "four opened cans of alcoholic beverages." Also inside the vehicle was a pill bottle with "a small amount of a green leafy substance with a pungent, skunky smell." The deputy said this appeared to be marijuana -- and tests later confirmed that.

    When questioned by investigators, Trevino "admitted that she did not have a valid driver's license on that day, nor has she ever possessed a valid driver's license." Trevino told law enforcement "she had been traveling from her own residence in Fond du Lac" to her brother's residence in Waukegan, Illinois. She "admitted that she had been drinking wine before leaving her residence. She estimated drinking two glasses." When she left her house, the complaint indicated Trevino told police "she felt fine to drive" and she denied drinking while driving. She said the empty alcoholic beverage cans inside her car belonged to someone else -- and the marijuana belonged to her mother.

    Trevino told police "she did not think she was impaired at the time of driving, but also stated that the wine she drank may have impacted her ability to control her vehicle and react to conditions on the road."