TOWN OF WEST BEND, Wis. — A former Whitefish Bay associate principal was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for a deadly drunk driving crash that killed a 75-year-old man in Washington County last year.
READ ALSO | Family remembers man killed in alleged drunk driving crash involving Whitefish Bay associate principal
Rebecca Salomon, 52, killed Dave Cournia after running a stop sign at 47 mph in December 2024. Cournia died in the hospital five days after the crash.
The Washington County Courthouse was packed with families and loved ones from both sides on Monday during the emotional two-hour sentencing hearing. Multiple people gave impact statements, with everyone fighting back tears as they shared their pain
"He was robbed of a chance to say goodbye to us. He didn't have a chance to give us a last hug or a last kiss. Those final memories of a bloody, broken man with only half of his skull will be forever etched in my brain," Cournia's widow said during her impact statement.
Watch: Ex-Whitefish Bay elementary school administrator sentenced to 6 years for fatal OWI crash
Cournia was driving to work on a rural Washington County road when Salomon ran the stop sign. Prosecutors showed pictures of Cournia's damaged car after the crash. His family remembers him as a hard-working Marine veteran and a great dad and husband.
Salomon, a former associate principal at Cumberland Elementary, admitted to having three drinks at a West Bend bar before the crash. Her blood alcohol content was 0.109, which is above the legal limit of 0.08. She had no prior criminal record.
Salomon also fought back tears as she addressed the court.
"I never intended to hurt anyone that night, but I know I made a horrible choice that resulted in a terrible tragedy. Mrs. Cournia and family, there are no adequate words to express how deeply sorry I am for my incredible lapse in judgment in choosing to drive that night," Salomon said.
The judge said he wants the six-year prison sentence, followed by three years of probation, to serve as a wake-up call to those who choose to drink and drive. He noted that more than a third of all road deaths result from drunk driving, which is completely preventable.
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