Jackson Engels has been charged with driving while high on THC and causing an injury. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A man originally charged with driving while high was convicted instead of reckless injury counts, and was placed on probation for four years.
Jackson Engels, 19, must also perform 100 hours of community service. Absolutely sobriety is a condition of probation, and Engels must write a letter of apology to the victims, court records show.
Engels pleaded no contest Tuesday to second-degree reckless injury and reckless driving causing bodily harm for the April 24, 2023 crash.
Engels was originally charged with felony counts of injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle and second-degree recklessly endangering safety, and a misdemeanor count of causing injury while operating under the influence. However, those charges were changed as part of the plea deal. In Wisconsin, there is no allowable amount for marijuana or other drugs in the system, as there is for alcohol. Any detected drugs can lead to operating while intoxicated or similar charges.
Green Bay police believe Engels was high on THC, the active ingredient of marijuana, and speeding when the crash happened on the city’s east side.
According to the criminal complaint, officers say Jackson hand a THC vape pen to his girlfriend at the scene of the crash. A search of his vehicle also turned up a THC vape cartridge, though Jackson said it was not his and he did not use it. A drug recognition expert with the Green Bay Police Department said Jackson showed physical signs of THC impairment.
The crash sent the driver of the other vehicle, a 63-year-old Green Bay man, to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Engels and his passenger, a 17-year-old De Pere boy, were also injured.
Comments