Oak Creek man pleads guilty in drunk driving homicide of St. Francis teacher
Troy Vaillancourt, 28, was facing the felony charge for allegedly driving drunk and causing an accident that took the life of St. Francis teacher Michelle Engman on Dec. 6, 2024.
Vaillancourt changed his plea to guilty June 9 as part of a plea agreement, according to online court records. He initially pleaded not guilty in December 2024.
The court found him guilty and Vaillancourt was remanded into Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department custody.
Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 22.
Following the crash, a GoFundMe was launched to help support Engman's family. As of June 9 it had raised $31,777 ― well above its $19,000 goal.
According to the complaint:
Cudahy police were dispatched to East Van Norman and South Lipton avenues for a two-car crash at 3 p.m. Dec. 6, 2024.
Authorities found a Honda Civic and Chevrolet Trailblazer with severe damage and determined the crash occurred in the middle of the intersection.
Engman, who was driving the Civic, was unconscious with no pulse. Officers attempted lifesaving measures until paramedics arrived and took her to the hospital. She died Dec. 8 from injuries received in the crash, according to the autopsy.
Vaillancourt told police he was the driver of the Trailblazer and said he'd just finished work and was traveling south on South Lipton Avenue when the crash happened.
Traffic southbound on Lipton has a stop sign while traffic on Van Norman Avenue has no stop sign.
'I'm 90% sure I blew the stop sign then hit her,' Vaillancourt told an officer, adding that he 'probably was speeding.'
Officers observed Vaillancourt exhibited signs of intoxication though he denied drinking before the crash. He did admit to drinking the night before, including the early morning hours of Dec. 6.
Vaillancourt took a breathalyzer which indicated his blood alcohol level was 0.169%. The legal limit in Wisconsin is 0.08%, but since Vaillancourt had two prior OWI convictions he must maintain a BAC under 0.02%.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Oak Creek man pleads guilty in crash that killed St. Francis teacher
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
37-year-old Wisconsin man arrested for 3rd OWI after being clocked at nearly 100mph, had revoked license
MONONA, Wis. (WFRV) – A 37-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested for a third Operating While Intoxicated offense on Friday morning after an officer clocked him at nearly 100 miles per hour. The Monona Police Department reported that an officer witnessed a vehicle speeding along U.S. 12 shortly before 1 a.m., clocking the driver at 99 miles per hour. Judge orders Wisconsin school shooter's father to stand trial on charges he allowed access to guns The officer, along with backup, conducted a traffic stop after catching up to the suspect vehicle. According to the release, the officer noted an odor of intoxication coming from the suspect vehicle, and the driver admitted to drinking before the stop. The suspect driver, identified as 37-year-old Ricardo Medina of Verona, had a revoked license on their record with two prior OWI convictions. Medina reportedly refused to submit to a field sobriety test, as well as declined consent for a blood sample. According to the police report, Medina was taken to a local emergency room, and the officer's request for a blood search warrant was approved. Medina reportedly indicated that he would fight to prevent a blood draw, prompting additional officers to be requested as possible backup. Motorcyclist crashes stolen bike after police chase in Wisconsin Medina was served with a warrant and subsequently had blood drawn without a further incident, despite reportedly demanding that officers let him go and take him home throughout the full situation. No additional details were provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tesla passes several vehicles on Door County highway before crash, killing 1 and injuring 4
DOOR COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – A 71-year-old passenger of a Tesla truck was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash Friday night on State Highway 42 in Door County that also left four people hospitalized. Deputies with the Door County Sheriff's Office say they were notified of a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 42 around 9:55 p.m. on July 25. The crash happened at the intersection of County Road P. 37-year-old Wisconsin man arrested for 3rd OWI after being clocked at nearly 100mph, had revoked license Multiple agencies responded to the scene to assist, including personnel from the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department, Sevastopol Emergency Medical Responders, and Door County Emergency Services. According to the release, an initial investigation indicated that a Tesla truck, being driven by a 43-year-old Green Bay man, was southbound on State Highway 42 while allegedly passing several vehicles. Deputies say that as the Tesla truck approached the intersection of County Road P, an SUV driven by a 22-year-old Sturgeon Bay man was also southbound on State Highway 42, making a left turn onto County Road P. Attic Fire leaves Grand Chute family without home, cigarettes likely cause Due to the Tesla passing, the SUV crashed into the Tesla when it was making the left turn. The driver and three passengers of the Tesla were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Another passenger, a 71-year-old woman, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the SUV received medical treatment at the scene but was released. The Wisconsin State Patrol responded to assist with the crash investigation. Local 5 will update this story when more information is released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
Body found in Broward Everglades canal identified as Hialeah man from Mexico
Authorities are releasing new details on a body that surfaced in a Florida Everglades canal early Thursday morning. Broward County officials say Ramiro Gomez-Diaz, of Hialeah, was discovered hours after they found his car submerged underwater. Deputies responded to reports of a sunken vehicle near Krome Avenue and U.S. Highway 27 around 9 p.m. on Wednesday and found the 27-year-old's 2007 Chevy Tahoe underwater, the Broward Sheriff's Office told the Miami Herald. The agency's dive team, missing persons unit, marine patrol and drone unit were deployed to locate the SUV but saw no trace of the missing driver. A family member was the first to spot a lifeless Gomez-Dias after returning to the canal early Thursday morning, BSO reported in a statement released Friday afternoon. A GoFundMe page for the Hialeah man said he was originally from Chiapas, Mexico and migrated to the United States 'with dreams of building a better future.' The posting said proceeds would help pay for his funeral and transporting him back to his hometown in Mexico. Marshall Jones, owner of Mack's Fish Camp, an air boat tour business located on the same stretch of canal, was the first to phone authorities. He guided rescue crews to Gomez-Diaz's SUV after spotting tire tracks on Wednesday night. 'I saw fresh skid marks and disturbance on the side of the levy and bubbles in the canal,' Jones told the Miami Herald. An initial investigation by BSO's Traffic Homicide Unit showed that 'for unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway and into the canal.' after tire marks. The agency said it will continue looking into how the sunken car and its driver ended up in the canal.
