Waukesha — A 20-year-old Dane County man was found guilty Tuesday of second-degree reckless homicide in connection with a crash Dec. 1 in Vernon that killed a man and injured a woman riding in his car.
Christopher M. Conner was convicted by Waukesha Circuit Court Judge J. Mac Davis after Conner entered a no contest plea to the charge. As part of a plea agreement, three other charges - homicide by vehicle-use of controlled substance, cause injury-operate-controlled substance and possession of marijuana - were dismissed but will be considered by Davis when he sentences Conner on June 25.
Conner faces up to 15 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision when he is released from prison.
Conner, of McFarland, was driving about 1:40 a.m. Dec. 1 and lost control of his car. The vehicle left the roadway and drove into a ditch on the north side of Cheri Ave. at Sunset View Drive, according to a criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court.
The vehicle rolled several times and struck a tree.
Passenger Michael Zippel, 23, of Waukesha was thrown from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Lauren Thiesenhusen, 19, of Waukesha suffered cuts to her right hip and left elbow that required stitches as well as injuries to her face, the complaint says.