A Wisconsin woman has been charged in connection with the crash that killed two Marquette University lacrosse players.
Prosecutors say 41-year-old Amandria Brunner of West Allis was intoxicated when her Ford Ranger collided with a Jeep Grand Cherokee carrying multiple Marquette athletes late Friday afternoon near campus. Two passengers in the Jeep, 20-year-olds Noah Snyder and Scott Michaud, were killed instantly. Both were members of Marquette’s men’s lacrosse team, remembered by classmates as dedicated teammates and friends.
Brunner now faces two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle while having a prior conviction, according to court records. She appeared in court Wednesday, where a judge found probable cause to proceed and set bond at $75,000.
Surveillance video from the intersection showed Brunner’s truck accelerating into the turn on a yellow light. At the same time, the Jeep carrying Snyder, Michaud, and other teammates was traveling southbound at 53 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone. The vehicles collided violently, sending the Jeep spinning and killing the two students seated in the back.
Police and bystanders reported strong signs of intoxication from Brunner. One witness told officers she “smelled alcohol” as she helped Brunner out of her vehicle. Officers noted Brunner’s bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and unsteady balance. She admitted to drinking two Steel Reserve malt beverages earlier that day and acknowledged there was alcohol in her truck. A search of the vehicle later turned up an open can of beer.
After failing a field sobriety test, Brunner was taken to a hospital, where her blood alcohol level was measured at .133—well above the legal limit. The sample is undergoing further drug testing. Brunner had a prior conviction for operating while intoxicated in 2003, court records show.
For Marquette, the news has been devastating. Snyder and Michaud were remembered in vigils on campus this week, with teammates and classmates gathering to mourn lives cut short. The men’s lacrosse team issued a statement calling the players “brothers on and off the field” whose presence had left a lasting mark.
Brunner’s next court date is a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 18. If convicted, she faces decades in prison. For now, the legal process moves forward, even as Marquette’s community grapples with the loss of two young athletes whose futures ended in a split second.
