Alleged Capitol rioter accused of DWI in fatal wrong-way crash on Missouri interstate

A Missouri woman charged with participating in the riot at U.S. Capitol last year has been arrested after she allegedly caused a fatal crash while driving drunk and the wrong way on an interstate, authorities said.

Emily Hernandez, 22, of Sullivan, was arrested after the crash Wednesday night on Interstate 44 in Franklin County. She faces possible charges of driving while intoxicated resulting in death, and driving while intoxicated resulting in injury, the Missouri State Highway Patrol report said.

Franklin County Prosecutor Matt Becker told CBS St. Louis affiliate KMOV-TV charges from the accident will come after the toxicology report comes back.

Victoria Wilson, 32, of St. Clair, was killed in the collision and her husband was seriously injured, the patrol said. He was driving, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, citing authorities. Hernandez’ car hit theirs, troopers said.

Ethan Corlija, one of Hernandez’s lawyers, said she was expected to be released from the hospital Thursday, the Post-Dispatch said.

She was charged with five misdemeanors after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Corlija said Hernandez intends to plead guilty Monday to one misdemeanor charge.

Pictures and videos show a smiling Hernandez holding up a piece of a broken sign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the insurrection.

Victoria’s mother, Tonie Donaldson, told the Post-Dispatch her daughter had “a heart of gold.”

Donaldson said she was upset that Hernandez wasn’t already behind bars for her alleged role in the January 6 attack.

The paper quotes her as remarking, “”Why is she still out? With what she did to the government, why is she still walking the street?”

As for the accident and Hernandez’s alleged condition, the Post-Dispatch reported Donaldson asked, “At 7 o’clock, you’re drunk and she got on the highway drunk?”