'I Knew I Was Going the Wrong Way': Driver Sentenced for Fatal I-41 Crash

A wrong-way journey that should never have happened

According to the criminal complaint, Polsin entered I-41 via an off-ramp near College Avenue in Outagamie County shortly after 10:20 PM on November 4, 2024. She was driving northbound in the southbound lanes. She told investigators that she realized immediately she was going the wrong way. But she did not stop. She did not turn around. She did not pull onto the shoulder.

She later told a trooper she could not find a place to turn around due to construction barriers. She said she was aware of other vehicles coming at her and looked for a crossover, but could not find one. She said she was driving between 45 and 50 miles per hour because she was "scared from the vehicles going past her."

She did not remember attempting to slow down before the collision.

The crash occurred in the southbound lanes near Lynndale Drive. Luehring, who was driving home, had no time to react. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Polsin was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The sentence

In January 2026, Polsin pleaded guilty to one count of homicide by negligent use of a vehicle, a felony in Wisconsin. At her sentencing hearing on April 7, Judge Vince Biskupic imposed a sentence of:

• Two years in state prison
• Five years of extended supervision

During her extended supervision, 79-year-old Polsin is barred from driving and must attend a victim impact panel each year.

Before the sentence was handed down, Polsin addressed the court briefly. "I didn't mean by any means to hurt anyone. I feel so bad for the parents and the rest of the family," she said. Judge Biskupic was unmoved. "When you go the wrong way on a ramp and then continue for minutes and miles, you're lethal," he told her.

The victim impact

Austin LaVicka Luehring was 27 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him. In court, his parents spoke of a loss that defies words. "We will never again see his smiling face, nor hear him tell us that he loves us, which he did often. We will no longer be able to tell him in person that we love him," said his father, Jeffrey Luehring.

His mother, Christina LaVicka, brought photos of her son to the courtroom. She described the void his death has left. "My past, my present and my future have been taken from me," she said. "I have boxes of cards and letters from my son and me. Boxes that will never be added to. Portions of those cards, a few of my son's words to his mom. A mom who hasn't said 'best day ever' for 518 days."

A legacy of prevention: The '497 Austin Alert'

In the wake of her son's death, Christina LaVicka has channeled her grief into action. She is developing what she calls the "497 Austin Alert," a hands-free system designed to quickly warn drivers about highway hazards, including wrong-way drivers. The goal is to prevent other families from experiencing the same devastation.

The name "497" refers to the number of days, she has said, that she has lived without her son.

What this means for our readers

This case, while involving an elderly driver, is not fundamentally about age. It is about choice, awareness, and the duty every driver owes to others.

1. Wrong-way driving is preventable: Polsin admitted she knew immediately she was on the wrong ramp. She had options: stop, reverse (if safe), pull onto the shoulder, turn on her hazard lights, call 911. She chose none of them. She drove for minutes and miles, at nearly 50 mph, toward oncoming traffic. That is not a mistake. It is a catastrophic failure of judgment
2. Negligent homicide is a felony: Some may assume that an elderly driver who makes an error would receive leniency. Polsin received prison time. Wisconsin law treats homicide by negligent use of a vehicle as a serious crime, and judges are increasingly unwilling to treat fatal crashes as mere "accidents" when the driver's conduct was clearly reckless
3. Accountability matters: Polsin's apology, however sincere, cannot undo what she did. The sentence sends a message: if you get behind the wheel and drive in a manner that shows a conscious disregard for the safety of others, you will face real consequences
4. A mother's grief becomes a mission: Christina LaVicka's "497 Austin Alert" is a powerful example of turning tragedy into advocacy. Technology exists to detect wrong-way drivers and warn oncoming motorists. Her efforts may save lives, a legacy her son would be proud of

Rosalie Polsin will spend two years in prison. Then she will serve five years on supervision, unable to drive. And then she will go home. But Austin will not come home. That is the imbalance that no sentence can correct.

Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Austin LaVicka Luehring. And our gratitude goes to Christina LaVicka, who, in her darkest hour, is working to ensure that other mothers never receive that phone call.

If you have lost a loved one in a preventable crash, the independent attorneys we connect you with have the experience to pursue justice through both criminal and civil channels, helping families navigate the legal system while they focus on healing.