Woman sentenced for fatal 2021 wrong-way crash on I-94 in Monroe County

SPARTA, Wis. (WEAU) - A woman who caused a wrong-way head-on crash on I-94 in Monroe County in 2021 is sentenced to prison Friday.

42-year-old Carrie Herbst of Waunakee was sentenced to eight years in prison, 10 years extended supervision, and 15 years of probation in Monroe County Circuit Court.

Herbst pleaded guilty to homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, two counts of 1st-degree causing reckless injury and two counts of 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety in October. Seven other counts, including 1st-degree reckless homicide, were dismissed but read in, according to online court records.

According to court documents filed with the charges last year, authorities said on Oct. 3, 2021, Herbst was traveling eastbound on I-94 near Warrens. She exited at the Three Bears Lodge exit and upon returning to the interstate, she entered up the exit ramp, traveling west in the eastbound lanes for approximately one mile until she hit a vehicle head-on, causing a multiple-vehicle crash. Originally, three other people were seriously injured from the other vehicles; however, one person later died. Herbst was taken into custody for suspicion of OWI. Law enforcement said they found an open alcohol container in the driver’s seat of the vehicle Herbst was operating.

Herbst was also sentenced to 2,000 hours of community service, according to online court records.