Coppersmith Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison, 10 Years Supervision For Fatal 2020 Crash

Fond du Lac District Attorney Eric J. Toney announced Wednesday (7/5/2022) that Samuel J. Coppersmith was sentenced to 20 years
of initial confinement and 7 years extended supervision with 3 years of consecutive probation.

The total sentence is 20 years of initial prison confinement followed by 10 years of supervision for a roll-over drunk and drugged driving crash that killed two passengers and caused significant injuries to two additional passengers.

District Attorney Toney stated “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.”

Coppersmith was operating a vehicle July 19, 2020, at approximately 9:14 p.m., on Interstate 41, heading north through Fond du Lac County when he lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a single vehicle roll over crash, which killed two passengers and caused significant injuries to two additional passengers.

Two blood tests taken after the crash showed Coppersmith had a prohibited blood alcohol concentration. A hospital blood draw at 10:22 p.m. showed a BAC of .122 , while the legal blood draw taken at 11:45 p.m. reflected a .097 BAC. The blood results also showed the defendant’s
blood contained marijuana, including 2.3 ug/L of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol.

The state recommended 28 years of initial confinement and 18 years of extended supervision. The defendant faced a maximum possible sentence of 43 years of initial confinement and 28 years of extended supervision.

The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Eric J. Toney and investigated by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office.