Woman Charged in Thanksgiving Fatal Crash to Stand Trial in April

Cheryl Mitchell faces homicide charges after allegedly driving drunk and causing a head-on collision that killed one person and injured two others.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 5:23pm

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Cheryl Mitchell, 67, will stand trial on April 29 for a Thanksgiving Day crash on I-43 in Wisconsin that killed one person and injured two others. Mitchell told police she had consumed three glasses of wine in the hours before the wrong-way crash. She faces six charges, including homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.

Why it matters

Drunk driving crashes continue to be a major public safety issue, especially around holiday periods when alcohol consumption tends to increase. This case highlights the tragic consequences that can result from impaired driving and the ongoing need for stricter enforcement and education to prevent such incidents.

The details

According to the criminal complaint, Mitchell was traveling from Denmark to Pound when she drove her vehicle the wrong way on I-43 and struck another vehicle head-on near the State 96 ramp. The driver of the other vehicle, a husband and wife, were injured, and their son, who was a passenger, died two days later from his injuries. Mitchell told police she had consumed three glasses of red wine between 12 pm and 4 pm that day. She declined to perform a field sobriety test, but a blood draw was taken. Mitchell has a prior OWI conviction from 1989 in Kewaunee County.

  • The crash occurred shortly after 5 pm on Thanksgiving Day.
  • Mitchell's trial is scheduled for April 29, 2026.
  • Her formal arraignment is set for April 14, 2026.

The players

Cheryl Mitchell

A 67-year-old woman charged with six counts, including homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, for a Thanksgiving Day crash that killed one person and injured two others.

The Victims

A husband and wife who were injured in the crash, and their son who died two days later from his injuries.

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What’s next

Mitchell's formal arraignment is scheduled for April 14, 2026, where she will enter a plea. Her trial is set to begin on April 29, 2026.

The takeaway

This tragic case underscores the ongoing need for stronger measures to combat drunk driving, including harsher penalties, expanded education and prevention programs, and continued enforcement efforts to keep impaired drivers off the roads, especially during high-risk periods like holidays.