In a deeply tragic case from Wisconsin, a 50-year-old woman, Mary Terry, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the death of her husband, Donald Britten Jr. The court also ordered 10 additional years of supervision after her prison term ends.
Terry had earlier pleaded guilty to homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, admitting that she had struck and dragged her husband with her truck on October 19, 2023, while she was heavily intoxicated.
Alcohol Level Four Times Over Legal Limit
On the night of the incident, Terry was found to have a blood-alcohol level of 0.298—over four times the legal limit in Wisconsin. According to the criminal complaint, Terry first backed into her husband, then dragged him nearly 48 feet, and ran over him again.
A neighbour who witnessed the event told police he heard a “prolonged thud” followed by a sound like “doo doo, doo doo” — similar to a vehicle going over speed bumps. Sadly, in this case, that “bump” was Mr. Britten.
Graphic Courtroom Description and Prosecution’s Arguments
Prosecutor Alexander Seifert gave a powerful description in court, using the size of the courtroom to demonstrate how far Britten’s body was dragged.
Seifert told the court:
“Drag a finger across a cheese grater for one inch with your body weight — not the weight of a truck — and imagine the pain.”
He also showed photos of Britten’s injuries and described in detail the damage concrete can do to human skin. Though the courtroom cameras didn’t show the photos, Mary Terry broke into tears at the defense table, refusing to look at the images.
Despite Terry having no prior criminal history, the prosecution called her a danger to society and requested the maximum punishment of 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervision.
Defense Says It Was Not Intentional
Terry’s defense lawyers, Kelli Sue Thompson and Albert Moustakis, said that she had struggled with alcoholism for years, especially after facing personal tragedies, including the death of her son in a car accident.
They argued that Terry was too drunk to realise what she was doing and could not have acted intentionally. While Terry herself did not speak in court, her lawyer read out a statement she had written:
“I would have never intentionally hurt Donnie. He was the love of my life.”
Her lawyers said she accepts full responsibility, but asked the court to consider her mental and emotional state during sentencing.
Judge Balances Law and Responsibility
Judge Michael Schiek acknowledged the emotional arguments but stated clearly:
“This would never have happened if you hadn’t been intoxicated. But it did, and you were. I can’t accept intoxication as a defense.”
Judge Schiek said the case was more than just an accident, but he also believed the maximum sentence was not appropriate. Considering the legal minimum of 5 years, he sentenced Terry to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervision.
She was also ordered to pay restitution and is not eligible for early release under Wisconsin’s treatment program until she serves at least 8 years.