Racine County wrong-way driver 'didn't know she was in Wisconsin:' complaint
Racine County wrong-way driver 'didn't know she was in Wisconsin:' complaint
An Illinois wrong-way driver was drunk when she slammed into another vehicle head-on in August 2021 on I-94 in Racine County, prosecutors say. Badly injured in the crash, a criminal complaint says the woman "did not know she was in Wisconsin."
RACINE, Wis. - An Illinois wrong-way driver was drunk when she slammed into another vehicle head-on in August 2021 on I-94 in Racine County, prosecutors say. Badly injured in the crash, a criminal complaint says the woman "did not know she was in Wisconsin."
Katerri Oneal, 31, faces one count of OWI, causing injury (second offense); one count of operating with a prohibited BAC, causing injury (second offense); and three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.
The crash happened Aug. 22, 2021, at Mile Marker 335 on I-94 in the Village of Yorkville in Racine County.
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Two vehicles were involved, a Kia Soul prosecutors say Oneal was driving and a Chevy Equinox with four people inside.
The driver of the Equinox told investigators she saw a car coming head-on toward her, and she tried to swerve, but she couldn't do so completely.
A witness estimated the Soul was traveling at 90 miles per hour in the wrong direction without headlights on the freeway, the complaint said.
Investigators say Oneal smelled of alcohol and "did not know she was in Wisconsin." She "didn't recognize that she was driving the wrong way."
She had to be extricated from her vehicle and flown to the hospital.
There, police say she admitted she was drinking. A blood test returned a result of .170 BAC, the complaint said.
According to prosecutors, she has one prior OWI in Illinois.
Oneal made her initial appearance in court Monday, March 13. Cash bond was set at $1,000.