Bridget Miller PC: Fox 11 Online
CHILTON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Bridget Miller is appealing her conviction and sentence from a fatal drunk driving crash which resulted in a 20-year prison term.
Miller, now 63, pleaded no contest to three counts, including homicide by intoxicated use a motor vehicle, for the March 11, 2023, crash which killed 19-year-old Louis Froehlich. The crash happened at Oneida Street and Highway 114 in the village of Harrison.
In the post-conviction motion filed Wednesday, Miller raises several issues about the conviction itself and her sentence:
- The appeal argues her lawyer was negligent for not challenging the state’s assertion – which Miller agreed to – that she had four prior drunk driving convictions.
- The appeal argues she was sentenced based an inaccurate characterization of the vehicle data report on what her speed was just before the crash.
- The appeals argues the sentencing should have been delayed to allow time for an alternate presentence investigation to be completed.
The motion asks for a hearing on the prior convictions, and for the sentence to be vacated and a new hearing held.
The state has not responded to Miller’s motion. No hearings have been scheduled.
Miller currently resides at the Taycheedah Correctional Institution, court records show.
The crash happened in northwest Calumet County. Afterward, police talked to Miller.
“Once Bridget was outside of her truck, she had trouble keeping her balance and would stumble needing to use her truck to keep her from falling over. Bridget would immediately try to argue with the bystanders nearby and continued to shout that it was not her fault and that it was the other driver that pulled out in front of her.
Bridget was upset and concerned that her new vehicle she had just purchased was now totaled. Bridget would be verbally abusive to first responders and everyone on scene trying to assist her. Bridget was showing no concern for the individuals in the four-door sedan,” the complaint states.
Later, she told police she was upset due to an argument with her husband and had gone to a friend’s house and had three beers. That friend, however, told police she was not with Miller that day.
Miller’s husband confirmed the argument and said Miller left the house about 6 p.m. — about two hours before the crash — but did not know where she went.
A preliminary breath test revealed a BAC of .193, more than double the usual legal limit of .08. However, due to her four previous drunken driving convictions, Miller’s legal limit was .02, the complaint states. Court records later show the parties agreed her BAC was .222.
Miller told police she stopped for the red light before continuing. “Bridget again blamed the other vehicle for ‘blowing through’ the intersection and then causing the accident,” the complaint says.
A witness not involved in the crash “said they were slowing down for the yellow or red light and saw the driver go through the intersection, not slowing at all and hit a grey vehicle broadside,” according to the complaint.
Security camera video from a nearby business was obtained.
“At the time of the crash, the eastbound and westbound traffic had a green light and the northbound and southbound traffic had a red light. It was clearly shown in the video that the suspect vehicle, the black pickup truck, had blown through the red light and a high rate of speed striking the sedan,” the complaint says.
Miller’s previous convictions for drunken driving were for events on Jan. 30, 1995; Dec. 19, 1995; March 25, 2001; and Dec. 7, 2001.
The criminal complaint notes Miller was identified by her Wisconsin Driver’s License.
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