Prosecutors: Man accused in I-41 rollover said he was driving because he was the 'most sober'
Terral Wallace (PHOTO: WLUK)
BROWN COUNTY -- An Appleton man facing homicide charges in connection with a fatal crash Sunday, April 26 on I-41 in the Town of Lawrence in Brown County said he was driving because he was the "most sober," according to prosecutors.
Terral Wallace, 27, faces one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, repeater, and three counts of injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle, repeater).
A woman who was a passenger in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Wallace was driving was killed in the crash around 6 a.m. Sunday, and four others were hurt. One was taken to a Green Bay hospital with a broken back, and might be paralyzed, WLUK reported. Two were taken to a Milwaukee hospital, where one was in a coma, WLUK reported. The condition of the fourth injured passenger was not immediately known.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by WLUK, at the scene of the crash on I-41 near Scheuring Road, Wallace told investigators he had recently purchased the vehicle, and it would "act up" at times.
A witness said it rolled at least seven times.
Fatal rollover crash on I-41 near Scheuring Road in Town of Lawrence (PHOTO: WLUK)
Prosecutors said investigators noted a strong odor of intoxicants coming from Wallace, and he indicated "they were all at a party in Appleton, and had been drinking, and he was driving them home because he was the most sober," WLUK reported. He said his last drink was "about four hours ago," and said he only had two beers. However, he later said he had two beers and some Hennessey, according to the complaint.
During the investigation, prosecutors said Wallace continuously repeated, "I don't want that girl to be dead."
Field sobriety testing was not performed at the scene because of injuries suffered by Wallace in the crash, WLUK reported. A blood sample was taken at the hospital but no test results were cited in the complaint. There is no mention of a preliminary breath test.
In addition to the charges, Wallace received four traffic citations including for operating a vehicle without a license, and failure to keep a vehicle under control, online court records showed.
According to WLUK, the complaint noted the white substance seen on Wallace's face in his mug shot is paint that was in the vehicle at the time of the crash.