An 81-year-old Waukesha woman has been sentenced to a year of probation after pleading no contest to a hit-and-run that sent a 40-year-old pedestrian flying 15 to 20 feet off her car's hood in February. Janet Wolfgram will serve no jail time for now, though a judge left open the possibility of locking her up later if she violates the terms of her release.
Wolfgram pleaded no contest on Oct. 14 to misdemeanor hit-and-run in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Judge K. Scott Wagner withheld sentencing in favor of a year of probation and ordered Wolfgram to pay $631 in fines. The judge also handed down a 30-day county jail sentence with possible Huber work-release privileges, but stayed it, meaning probation agents can impose it later at their discretion rather than Wolfgram serving it now.
The case stems from a crash on Feb. 8, when a 40-year-old man was crossing Broadway at East Avenue, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee. The man told officers he was crossing the intersection when a vehicle hit him. WISN 12 News reported that he was holding his left leg and told officers he was in pain.
Surveillance Video Captured the Impact
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed Wolfgram turn left against the pedestrian's green light, striking the man before continuing to drive without slowing or stopping, gmtoday.com reported. A witness who spoke with WISN 12 News described Wolfgram driving westbound on Broadway before turning left onto southbound East Avenue, striking the victim in the middle of the crosswalk and continuing on. The man rolled onto the hood and windshield of her car, and officers estimated he was launched 15 to 20 feet from where he was struck, according to the same report.
A 52-year-old motorist followed Wolfgram's car until she stopped at a Pick 'N Save near Sunset Drive and Tenny Avenue, WISN 12 News reported, and provided police with her license plate number. The witness identified the vehicle as a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze, which court filings later confirmed was registered to Wolfgram. When officers caught up with her, she told them she thought she had hit something but wasn't sure what, per the station's account.
From Felony Charge to Misdemeanor Plea
Wolfgram was originally charged by the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office with felony hit-and-run, according to court records cited by FOX6 News Milwaukee. The case ultimately resolved with her no-contest plea to the lesser misdemeanor charge this month. Court filings also indicated Wolfgram became quite distraught when officers told her she had hit a person, the station reported.
