An Alexandria woman faces up to 40 years in prison for her role in a wrong way DWI crash that claimed the life of a 54-year-old.
Amber Lea Pospisil, 31, was recently charged in St. Croix County with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle while having a prior intoxicant-related conviction/revocation and two counts of second degree recklessly endangering safety. The first charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000, while the second and third charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a 25,000 fine. The charges stem from a four-vehicle crash in which Pospisil is alleged to have been driving her vehicle eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-94 in St. Croix County near Hudson while under the influence of alcohol.
Cites “Freedom” As Reason
Pospisil and the occupants of two other vehicles did not have any visible injuries at the scene of the crash, but 54-year-old Mark Filbrandt died after his vehicle was struck head-on by Pospisil’s, according to the complaint. Pospisil admitted to drinking after a wedding and a BAC test revealed that she had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.218, more than two and a half times the legal limit.
When asked why she got behind the wheel, Pospisil said she had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and that her decision to drive drunk was for “freedom.” She also claimed to have no recollection of driving the wrong way or causing the accident.
This isn’t the first time that Pospisil has ran into issues with drinking and driving. She was convicted of a third-degree DWI in Douglas County District Court just last year in which she rear ended a vehicle. Court documents show that her BAC was 0.298 during that crash. She is currently being help in St. Croix County Jail on $100,000 cash bond, and has her next scheduled appearance on November 28th.
Clearly Pospisil made some very poor decisions on the day of the crash, and hopefully she gets the help she needs to eventually turn her life around. However, it seems likely that she’ll be spending the foreseeable future behind bars. Please make good decisions if you plan on drinking at a wedding or other social events on the weekends. Ubers and Lyfts are so much cheaper than a DWI or the loss of your “freedom.”
For help with a criminal case, reach out to the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
