The attorney for the West Allis woman involved in a car crash that caused the deaths of two Marquette lacrosse players last September called two witnesses to the stand on June 17, the third day of the homicide trial.
The first, 22-year-old Peter McColgan who was driving his teammates through the intersection at North 27th Street and West St. Paul Avenue when it collided with Brunner’s pickup truck, asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
The second, Zachary Bingen, a reconstruction engineer, said his report concluded the impact McColgan’s Jeep had with a pole after it collided with Brunner’s pickup was more powerful than the collision it had with her vehicle.
Brunner and McColgan face charges in connection to Sep. 5, 2025, crash that ended the lives of Scott Michaud, 19, and Noah Snyder, 20.
Brunner, 42, faces six felonies, including two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. She was charged Sept. 10, five days after crash. McColgan was charged eight months later. The Marquette graduate faces two counts of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle.
Three other members of the Marquette lacrosse team were in McColgan’s vehicle. None were called to testify.
Earlier in the week, Abigail Ruckdashel, one of Brunner’s attorneys, told jurors they could expect to hear from McColgan at some point during the trial.
McColgan, dressed in a navy-blue suit, arrived in court with several of his teammates and his attorney Jason Luczak to answer a subpoena issued by defense attorney, Dustan Davidson.
McColgan took the stand and was asked by Davidson if he operated a Jeep the day of the accident. McColgan pleaded the Fifth.
“On the advice of counsel, I am asserting my Fifth Amendment right not to answer your question,” he said.
McColgan told Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Swanson he would give the same response to other questions. McColgan is expected to make his initial court appearance on the charges against him on July 16.
Bingen, the reconstruction engineer, works for Madison-based Skogen Engineering. He testified that he combed through hours of body cam and drone video, data from black boxes collected by police and other video evidence to put together a report on the crash for the defense.
Included in the footage was video captured by two other lacrosse players inside the Jeep, Bingen said.
The jury is expected to start deliberating the afternoon of June 17.
This is a developing story. Stay with jsonline.com for updates.
Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Marquette lacrosse player pleads the Fifth in fatal crash trial
Reporting by Chris Ramirez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Chris Ramirez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
