MONROE - A Monroe man was sentenced Tuesday to five years of probation after he caused a one-vehicle car crash that severely injured a woman in May of 2016.
Barry J. Bauman, 42, pleaded no contest to a Class F felony count of injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle using controlled substances. Additional charges - including an identical Class F felony count, a Class I felony count of reckless driving causing great bodily harm, a Class I felony count of possession of marijuana and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia - were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Bauman's charges stem from an incident on May 5, 2016, when he reportedly lost control of his vehicle in the N6300 block of County J, Town of Adams.
Bauman reportedly lost control of his vehicle, whereupon he entered a ditch, struck an embankment and overturned. Bauman and a passenger, Sara J. Horton, 38, Richland Center, were ejected from the vehicle and were transported to UW Madison Hospital by Med Flight.
Horton reportedly suffered a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and vertebrae and a fractured shoulder. Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen said Horton was wheelchair-bound for nearly a year after the crash and now requires assistance to walk.
Bauman, meanwhile, suffered significant pelvic fractures, fractured vertebrae and various neck and scalp injuries and was also confined to a wheelchair, albeit for a shorter period than Horton.
Bauman's attorney, Guy Taylor, and Nolen jointly recommended a withheld sentence of five years probation, with six months to be served in jail. Nolen said the sentence will still provide a significant penalty should Bauman fail to comply with the terms of his probation.
Taylor said Bauman's crash was not significantly influenced by intoxicants, as analysis indicated that Bauman had smoked marijuana more than several hours before the crash. He also indicated that the amount of THC in Bauman's system would have been well within the legal limit of a state that has legalized marijuana.
Bauman repeatedly expressed remorse for his actions during the plea hearing.
"I could never imagine hurting someone like that," Bauman said. "Every day I tell her how sorry I am."
Nolen added that Bauman and Horton maintain an amicable relationship and that Horton had no objections to the recommended sentence.
Taylor agreed with the recommendation and sentenced Bauman to five years of probation with six months of conditional jail time. In addition, Bauman's license will be revoked for two years and will be required to use an ignition interlock device upon re-obtaining his license.
Barry J. Bauman, 42, pleaded no contest to a Class F felony count of injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle using controlled substances. Additional charges - including an identical Class F felony count, a Class I felony count of reckless driving causing great bodily harm, a Class I felony count of possession of marijuana and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia - were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Bauman's charges stem from an incident on May 5, 2016, when he reportedly lost control of his vehicle in the N6300 block of County J, Town of Adams.
Bauman reportedly lost control of his vehicle, whereupon he entered a ditch, struck an embankment and overturned. Bauman and a passenger, Sara J. Horton, 38, Richland Center, were ejected from the vehicle and were transported to UW Madison Hospital by Med Flight.
Horton reportedly suffered a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and vertebrae and a fractured shoulder. Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen said Horton was wheelchair-bound for nearly a year after the crash and now requires assistance to walk.
Bauman, meanwhile, suffered significant pelvic fractures, fractured vertebrae and various neck and scalp injuries and was also confined to a wheelchair, albeit for a shorter period than Horton.
Bauman's attorney, Guy Taylor, and Nolen jointly recommended a withheld sentence of five years probation, with six months to be served in jail. Nolen said the sentence will still provide a significant penalty should Bauman fail to comply with the terms of his probation.
Taylor said Bauman's crash was not significantly influenced by intoxicants, as analysis indicated that Bauman had smoked marijuana more than several hours before the crash. He also indicated that the amount of THC in Bauman's system would have been well within the legal limit of a state that has legalized marijuana.
Bauman repeatedly expressed remorse for his actions during the plea hearing.
"I could never imagine hurting someone like that," Bauman said. "Every day I tell her how sorry I am."
Nolen added that Bauman and Horton maintain an amicable relationship and that Horton had no objections to the recommended sentence.
Taylor agreed with the recommendation and sentenced Bauman to five years of probation with six months of conditional jail time. In addition, Bauman's license will be revoked for two years and will be required to use an ignition interlock device upon re-obtaining his license.