Man sentenced to 20 years for fatal drunk and drugged driving crash
FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - An Appleton man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a drunk and drugged driving crash that killed two people and injured two people.
Samuel J. Coppersmith, 21, was convicted of two vehicular homicide charges and two vehicular injury charges. He pleaded no contest in May and was found guilty. The remainder of the counts were dismissed as part of the plea.
“This was a horrific crash in which lives are forever changed based on the actions of this defendant to drink, use marijuana, and get behind the wheel of a vehicle. This sentence will not bring back those that were killed or take away the injuries and anguish from the victims and their families but I hope it serves as a strong deterrent and message not to drink or use drugs and get behind the wheel of a vehicle,” said District Attorney Eric Toney.
Coppersmith will serve 10 years on extended supervision after his release.
On July 19, 2020, Coppersmith was driving north on I-41 in the Town of Friendship when he lost control of his vehicle and rolled. Two passengers were killed and two others were seriously injured.
A witness who passed the scene told deputies the vehicle accelerated in the left lane until it was tailgating a red minivan, then it turned too sharply into the right lane and fishtailed, hitting gravel then flipping over when it came back on the pavement.
A blood test taken after the crash showed Coppersmith had a blood alcohol concentration of .122. The second draw taken later showed a BAC of .097. The legal limit to drive in Wisconsin is .08.
Blood tests showed the presence of marijuana.
The state recommended 28 years in prison. A judge sentenced Coppersmith to 20 years.
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